SUDAN CRACKS DOWN ON PROTESTERS WITH VIOLENCE

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Sudan security forces have arrested scores of protesters, opposition members, and journalists, beat people in detention, and used rubber bullets and even live ammunition to break up protests.

The alert comes from the US-based Human Rights Watch.

The group called on Sudan to end the crackdown on peaceful protesters, release people who have been detained, and allow journalists to report freely on the events.

Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said Sudan is using these protests as an excuse to use violence and intimidation to silence dissenters.

Protests began on June 16 at Khartoum University in response to government austerity measures and price increases.

One week later, the protests had spread to dozens of other locations in Khartoum, Omdurman, Madani, Sennar, Gedarif, Port Sudan, Hasahisa, and other towns across Sudan, with protesters calling for the end of the current government.

On Sunday, President Omar al-Bashir downplayed the significance of the protests, calling them foreign-backed, and threatened to respond to protesters “with real jihadists” instead of as a “responsible government.”