Police dispersed a violent protest today against rising costs of living in Wau, the capital of South Sudan's Western Bahr al Ghazal state.

Some 200 people organized for the protest in Wau's main Jou Market, aiming to march to the state secretariat. However, officers deployed and fired warning shots into the air to disperse some of the demonstrators who began throwing stones at shops, forcing traders to close down. Punches were thrown as some protesters attempted to snatch items from some of the shops.

The protest organizers then reportedly called off the demonstration for fear of use of live bullets by the police in Wau.

Minister of local government Angelo Taban said authorities contained the disturbance and the situation is under control, claiming there was only a handful of protestors. Police did not report any casualties or arrests. Shops have yet to reopen.

One of the protesters accused the government of mismanaging the economy as inflation is running full swing. The protestor said the government has yet to take measures to address economic shocks.

Taban said the government would work "fastidiously to invigorate the economy to make life easier not harder for the working people and citizens of Western Bahr al Ghazal state."

“We told [protesters] to exercise patience because this is the same situation facing other states. It is not Western Bahr al Ghazal alone. It is the whole country and the government is working to address it," Taban claimed.

Traders and residents in Wau said the recent fall in the value of the South Sudanese Pound against the dollar has led to rising prices for basic goods like sugar and fuel. The price of 50kg of sugar stood at 750 SSP on Thursday in the town.

Taxes have also gone up, while the cost of utilities has increased by more than 50%.