Peaceful protests against the increase of fuel and commodities prices and demanding the “downfall of the regime” continued on Thursday, in Khartoum and other cities in Sudan, including El Obeid and Port Sudan. This was for the fourth consecutive day of massive protest.

The number of people reportedly killed by government forces on Tuesday and Wednesday went up to 140 people as Radio Dabanga reports, based on medical officers and other trusted sources. Only in Omdurman at least 79 people were fatally hit by bullets in the head and the chest. At numerous places relatives have built the traditional funeral tents outside the houses of the victims to allow people to pay their condolences.

The head of the Omdurman hospital, Osama Murtada said he received 21 bodies on Wednesday. All victims were killed by bullets. He also confirmed having received at least 16 injured patients on Wednesday, noting the victims are currently being treated for mainly head, chest, and stomach injuries inflicted by police shooting. Other sources informed Radio Dabanga that the main hospital of Khartoum North (Khartoum Bahri) received three bodies on Wednesday.

In the Khartoum neighbourhood of Alamaab, nine demonstrators are believed to have been shot dead by police forces on Wednesday, witnesses say. Their bodies were transferred to the Bashayir hospital. The medical doctor, Sayid Ganaat told Radio Dabanga that he operated 32 patients sustaining different chest and head injuries on Wednesday morning. He told Radio Dabanga that 36 bodies were sent to the Omdurman mortuary.

Greater Khartoum

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, people provided detailed accounts how army forces were deployed at strategic places, such as around public squares and in front of government buildings. In Khartoum all gas stations are closed, creating a shortage in gasoline, limiting transportation. Many of the markets and shops were closed during the Thursday.

The security forces have tightened their grip, sending troops amidst demonstrators. The crowd persisted in their protests despite the attempts to stop the protest by using violence, and arresting scores of activists, members of political parties and students.

In Greater Khartoum demonstrations continued today in the districts of Shambat and Durushaab in Khartoum North; El Azhari, El Ingadh and Kalakla in Khartoum, and the Morada district (Arbaeen Street) and various areas of Umbadda in Omdurman. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that in the El Fatih neighbourhood in Omdurman a demonstration was set out on Wednesday night. The police used live ammunition to disperse the protesters which resulted in the death of five people, three of them being students of the El Shuroug Secondary school. More than 20 protesters were arrested.

Port Sudan

In the city of Port Sudan demonstrations continued for a second day. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that today a large demonstration started from the Red Sea University. When it reached the Soug El Kabir the police resorted to excessive violence to disperse them, using batons and tear gas. 12 protesters were injured of whom three seriously. They have been transferred to the Port Sudan hospital for treatment. The witnesses also reported that security forces have arrested a number of students, among them Ali Jubran and Mohamed Mansour, as well as lecturers of the Red Sea University, the most prominent among them being Ghada Osman, member of the Party Secretariat and Ibtisam Mohamed Salih.

El Obeid

In El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, protests also continued. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that demonstrations began yesterday at 9am and lasted until 4pm. Protests took place on Soug El Kabir and in various parts of the city. Activists reported that the security services and the police used batons, rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, which led to people fainting. At least eight protesters have been arrested.

Wad Medani

On Tuesday a well-known human rights defender and lawyer Majdi Saleem was arrested in Madani. Also, award-winning novelist Rania Mamoun was arrested on Monday and released on Tuesday afternoon. A photo of her that circulated on social media shows obvious signs of beating and torture on her face and left eye, as the website Girifna reported. There are reports of police violence against protesters that led to the death of at least two youth on Monday: Mazin Sid-Ahmad and Ahmed Mohammed Ali. However, confirming the deaths of protesters has not been easy, although the death toll quoted by others such as the Sudan Change Now movement and some media outlets goes up to 12 deaths as of Tuesday.

Media crackdown

The newspaper El Sudani has been closed by the authorities for an undefined period; other dailies are entirely censored, while the internet resumed functioning during parts of the day after a blackout during Wednesday. On Thursday the internet was on and off, like most of the mobile phone networks.

News photo: A protest march in Port Sudan (Twitter)