Protests spill over to eastern Sudan: Three students arrested

Students of the Red Sea University also started to demonstrate against the price increases on consumer goods in the country. Police broke up the rally and arrested three people.

University students in Port Sudan, supported by residents in the state capital, held public speeches at the main building of the university and at the city market on Thursday. These were followed by demonstrations. Hundreds of students raised banners and chanted slogans that called for overthrowing the regime.

A witness told Radio Dabanga that riot police broke up the demonstration and arrested three students. Throughout the day, the university campus and market were heavily guarded by police and security forces.

Students march in Port Sudan city on 18 January 2018 (RD)

During the large-scale demonstrations in the Sudanese capital and its twin-city Omdurman on Tuesday and Wednesday, the security service launched a large-scale arrest campaign in Omdurman in an attempt to stop the tide of protest against the surge of prices.

Dozens of people, including Umma and Communist Party members, have been arrested

The National Umma Party (NUP) issued a statement yesterday, calling on the Sudanese people and Diaspora to continue their resistance against the economic policies in marches and vigils.

The security service has arrested NUP secretary-general Sara Nugdallah from her house in Omdurman. Nugdallah had raised attention to the protest in Omdurman. She nows joins the detained leaders or leading members of the Umma and the Communist Party: Mohamed Mukhtar El Khateeb, Mohamed Abdallah El Doma and Ibrahim El Amin.

Dozens of other people have been arrested for their participation in peaceful demonstrations, including activists, journalists, students and women.

SRF rebels

The rebels of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) umbrella have demanded the release of the detainees whom were arrested for political reasons. Their statement came after the Sudanese government’s request to the SRF to hold negotiations later this month.

SRF spokesman Mohamed Zakariya Farajallah announced on Thursday that the Front will not sit down with the government’s delegation if the detained politicians and activists are not released.

The protests which have been taking place this month are sparked by rising inflation and consumer prices, and a fall in the Sudanese Pound against the US Dollar in the wake of the new national budget.