Date: Apr 8, 2019 Source: The Daily Star Sudan security forces try to break up protest outside defense ministry Sudanese activists say five killed as protests swell Reuters KHARTOUM: Sudanese security forces Monday attempted to break up a protest by thousands of anti-government demonstrators camped outside the defense ministry in central Khartoum, witnesses said. They said security forces on pickup trucks fired tear gas as they charged towards the sit-in. No further details were immediately available. The demonstrators have camped for two nights outside the compound, part of an attempt to increase pressure on President Omar al-Bashir to step down after nearly 30 years in office. Previous attempts by security forces failed to disperse the protesters. Public anger against bread and cash shortages exploded into demonstrations in December but quickly turned against Bashir's administration. Bashir has acknowledged that the protesters have legitimate demands but said that the way to address these demands is through peaceful means and the ballot box. Sudanese activists say five killed as protests swell Agencies CAIRO: Sudanese security forces killed at least five protesters over the weekend during what organizers said were some of the largest demonstrations in a nearly four-month campaign to drive President Omar al-Bashir from power. Sarah Abdel-Jaleel, a spokesperson for the SPA, told the Associated Press that four people were killed in the capital city of Khartoum and another protester was killed in the neighboring city of Omdurman Saturday and Sunday. The SPA said tens of thousands of people have taken part in protests outside the military headquarters and a presidential residence in Khartoum since Saturday. Footage circulated online showed the protesters chanting “The people want the fall of the regime,” one of the main slogans from the Arab Spring uprisings that swept Middle East and North Africa in 2011. Other footage showed protesters setting up tents Sunday in front of the military headquarters, which also houses the Defense Ministry and the headquarters of the powerful National Intelligence and Security Service, following a call for a sit-in. The organizers say protesters hurled stones and security forces used batons, tear gas and live fire to try to disperse the crowds. The Sudan Doctors Committee, an SPA affiliate, said dozens have been wounded in rallies across the country, many by live ammunition. The state-run SUNA news agency Saturday quoted police spokesman Gen. Hashim Abdel-Rahim as saying that one person was killed “during disturbances in Omdurman.” He called the protests “illegal gatherings.” Sudan’s national defense and security council, headed by Bashir, Sunday said the protesters’ demands should be discussed and called for dialogue to end the crisis, according to SUNA. Police and security forces Saturday blocked all bridges leading to the capital’s center from Khartoum North and Omdurman, across the River Nile to the north and west respectively, in what appeared to be a bid to prevent the sit-in from swelling. They remained closed Sunday, causing major traffic jams. Hundreds of people were crossing into Khartoum from Omdurman via Victory Bridge on foot Sunday morning, a Reuters witness said, as cars stood at a standstill for hours. The protests, which began in December, have swelled since last week’s resignation of Algeria’s long-serving president in the face of similar rallies, giving new hope to Sudanese protesters aiming to end Bashir’s nearly 30-year reign. Security forces have responded with a fierce crackdown, killing at least 60 people since the protests began, according to Physicians for Human Rights, a New York-based rights group. That figure does not include the latest deaths. The government has said that 32 people have been killed, including police, but hasn’t updated its tally in weeks. The rallies are being led by the Sudanese Professionals Association, an umbrella group of independent professional unions.