At least four killed as protests continue in Sudan

At least three Sudanese protesters and a member of the security forces have died in clashes in the capital, Khartoum.

They were killed in gunfire at a sit-in outside military HQ where demonstrators are demanding full civilian government.

The Transitional Military Council (TMC) blamed saboteurs. “Behind this are groups that... are working hard to abort any progress in negotiations.”

Early on Tuesday the TMC said it would not allow citizens’ safety to be jeopardized. “Neither the (paramilitary) Rapid Support Forces or the army will fire one shot at our protesting brothers, but we repeat: we do not allow chaos,” it said.

Protesters said counter-revolutionaries linked to the former regime of long-time President Omar al-Bashir incited Monday’s violence. The deaths were the first linked to protests in Khartoum in several weeks.

The TMC and the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces opposition alliance said on Monday they had agreed to a power structure for the transition following Bashir’s removal and arrest last month.

In December, protesters started demonstrating against a government decision to triple the price of bread. The protests soon morphed into widespread anger against the president's 30-year rule, led by doctors.

Five weeks into the protests, on 17 January, witnesses said state forces fired live ammunition at protesters and killed a doctor.

He had been treating injured protesters in his home in Khartoum when police fired tear gas into the building.

He is one of dozens of people killed during the anti-government protests.

The protesters later staged a sit-in outside the military headquarters to demand the military force the president out.

A military council assumed power of the country on 11 April, but protesters are pushing for a swift handover of power to civilians and have kept up demonstrations since Bashir’s departure, including a more than month-long sit-in outside the Defence Ministry.