Sudan protesters attacked during sit-in, ‘troops try to help’

Intelligence and riot forces in Sudan have attacked a sit-in by protesters opposed to President Omar al-Bashir in front of the country’s Defense Ministry, with soldiers reportedly trying to protect the protesters.

The sit-in was being held just outside the gates of the Defense Ministry headquarters in the Sudanese capital for the third consecutive day early on Tuesday when security forced were reportedly deployed to disperse the crowd.

Protest organizers said National Intelligence, Security Service, and riot police personnel arrived and fired tear gas at the protesters. Witnesses said soldiers from within the Defense Ministry then opened the gates to allow the protesters in and several times fired shots into the air to ward off the security forces.

It was not clear whether the standoff escalated or was diffused.

Anti-government rallies reached a peak in Sudan’s capital on Saturday and Sunday, when thousands of Sudanese launched the biggest rally since protests first erupted in the country in December last year. At least seven people were killed during the protests on the two days and 15 civilians and 42 members of the security forces were injured.

SS