Police open fire on Darfur protest

SPLA soldiers drive to the frontline at Mathiang from their military base in Bor, South Sudan. Picture: George Philipas

SPLA soldiers drive to the frontline at Mathiang from their military base in Bor, South Sudan. Picture: George Philipas

Published Mar 11, 2014

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Khartoum - Sudanese police used tear gas and batons against students protesting in Khartoum against government policies in the restive region of Darfur on Tuesday, a Reuters witness said.

Around 200 students organised a march at Khartoum University against escalating violence in Darfur, where rebels have been fighting forces of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. Dozens have been killed in the region in recent weeks.

Bashir has stayed in power despite rebellions, US trade sanctions, an economic crisis, an attempted coup and an indictment from the International Criminal Court on charges of masterminding war crimes in Darfur.

Bashir faces a sharp drop in oil revenues, the main source of government income, and rising inflation after losing most of his active oilfields following the secession of South Sudan in 2011.

Subsidy cuts and other austerity measures brought in last September to cope with the crisis led to the capital's worst street protests in years, compounding the turmoil in a country also fighting rebels in southern and western border regions.

Reuters

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