Demonstrators march across Sudan against military rule, economic woes

Sudanese protesters have rallied across the African country against persisting military rule and economic woes, while security forces reportedly opened fire to disperse them.

On Monday, demonstrators in the capital Khartoum took to the streets against the October coup and rising prices, as the cost of bread and transport has soared sharply in recent weeks and the Sudanese pound has lost around a third of its value, mostly in February.

The rally, however, was blocked by security forces, who opened fire to prevent protesters from reaching the presidential palace.

Other cities across Sudan also witnessed similar protests.

“Down with military rule”, protesters chanted in Damazin, a city some 450 kilometers from Khartoum.

Protesters, mostly students, also held rallies in the cities of Atbara, Nyala, and Damazin early on Monday against soaring costs, resistance committees reported.

In Nyala, security forces fired a barrage of tear gas canisters to disperse large crowds of protesters. “No to rising costs, No to military rule,” people shouted.

Teachers also continued a strike on Monday, as did railway workers in Atbara, in River Nile State in northeastern Sudan, protesting low salaries.

Separately, security forces also reportedly used tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan.

More than two years ago, massive anti-government demonstrations hit Sudan. The main grievance was about economic woes. The protesters, youths for a large part, demanded the resignation of then-president Omar al-Bashir, who was ultimately deposed in a military coup in April 2019, after ruling over the country for three decades.