Hundreds of Sudanese anti-government protesters rallying in central Khartoum on Monday were dispersed by security forces, witnesses said.
Officers made dozens of arrests, others looked on from rooftops and armored vehicles with machine guns parked up in surrounding streets as some in the crowd chanted: “The people want the fall of the regime”.
Anger over rising prices, shortages of basic commodities and a cash crisis has fueled demonstrations across Sudan over the past two weeks.
Activists called for more rallies against the government and economic hardships on the eve of Independence Day.
In Khartoum, the main rally broke into smaller demonstrations downtown against President Omar al-Bashir and his handling of the economy, witnesses said.
Several lawyers on strike outside courthouses in Khartoum and in Sudan’s second-largest city Wad Madani were also arrested, one of the lawyers said.
Authorities have shut schools and declared states of emergency in several regions since protests first broke out in the northeastern city of Atbara on December 19. Security forces have repeatedly used tear gas, stun grenades and live ammunition against demonstrations, witnesses say.
According to official figures, at least 19 people have been killed, including two military personnel - Amnesty International last week said it estimated the death toll was nearly double that.
Earlier Monday, Human Rights Watch urged Bashir's government to instruct security forces not to use lethal force against protesters.
Last week, the United States, Britain, Norway and Canada said in a joint statement that they have "reliable reports" that Sudan's security forces were using live fire.
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