Biggest protest in Sudan since beginning of Bashir regime

(UPDATE 22:30) The fifth day of mass demonstrations against the increase of fuel prices in Sudan has been marked by numerous killings, a high number of injured people and scores of arrests throughout Sudan, Radio Dabanga reports. All over Khartoum the sound of gunfire was heard and tear gas was intense. Radio Dabanga reports that since the military coup in 1989 Sudan has never faced such mass protest against the regime. Even in late evening, protests were ongoing and doctors were still operating in the hospitals. The count of the number of confirmed dead continued Friday evening, but at least three people have died in Khartoum (Bahri), one in Omurman (Wad Nubawi) and two in Wad Madani (Al Gezira state). Hospitals were asking for blood donations for the numerous wounded demonstators. The two biggest demonstrations in Sudan took place in Omdurman and Khartoum North (Bahri). In Bahri more than 3,000 people were gathered when the police opened fire on protestors. In El Kadaru and Shambat in Khartoum North, the protesters were headed by political party leaders, including secretary of the Communist Party, Mohamed Mukhtar El Khatib; the head of the Sudanese Congress Party, Ibrahim El Sheikh, spoke to them. They were marching towards El Ma’una street where they clashed with the police. In downtown Khartoum, demonstrations took place in Street 60. An army of thousands of soldiers and police and security officers in civilian clothes but armed with Kalashnikovs and automatic rifles was deployed to defend the government buildings in the centre of Khartoum. More south in Kalakala, Jabra and El Ushara, police forces dispersed large groups of people with teargas and shooting in the air to scare the people off. He added that the demonstrations took a more structured form by referring to the use of more banners. Around 2,000 citizens left the El Imam Abdelrahman Mosque and went protesting towards the Arbaeen square in Omdurman. There they were confronted with tear gas and live ammunition. Crowds of protesters marched towards the main market with banners saying “No to price hikes”, “Down with the regime”, “The people are hungry, you dancer”, or “We went to the streets against the thieves of our sweat”. Several sources confirmed to Radio Dabanga that in Wad Nubawi Street and in Arbaeen Street, people were killed and many demonstrators detained. The identity of only one casualty was established. In Omdurman, demonstrations occurred today in the Umbadda, Abasia, Suq Omdurman, El Thawra, Suq Sabrin, and at Shuhada square near El Azhari house. Security forces shot one person dead at the Suq Omdurman and injured dozens. Hundreds of people were arrested. The tension in Omdurman was high. On Thursday evening a funeral of five casualties moving towards the Ahmed Sharafi cemetery in Omdurman was stopped by security forces attacking them with tear gas. Wad Madani In the city of Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira state, demonstrations set off after Friday prayers in a number of neighbourhoods and at the Suq El Kabir. Riot police tried to disperse the crowd with tear gas, in order to prevent worshippers in the mosques to start a demonstration. But they did not succeed. A large number of protesters were injured. Radio Dabanga received confirmation of two people killed, although many other sources spoke about at least four casualties. El Obeid In El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, the citizens also continued their protests in a mass rally after Friday prayers from the Grand Mosque and El Gubba district. Witnesses reported that the police used batons and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators. They arrested 20 protesters. The police used live bullets, batons and tear gas.Please see below for more photos Radio Dabanga has collected on Twitter on the protests across Sudan. For even more photos please click here.Wad Nubawi Mosque protest on FridayTear gas allegedly used by policeStreet 60Security forces KhartoumOmdurmanProtestersOmdurmanProtesters in Alabasiya OmdurmanPolice truckOmdurmanPeople gather for a demonstration after the Friday prayer in Al Kamleen City GeziraOmdurman Street 40Omdurman