By Afp. Sudanese protesters are threatening to march on the palace of President Omar al-Bashir to demand an end to his three-decade rule. Sudanese security forces deployed in numbers in Khartoum on Thursday as demonstrators threatened to march on President Omar al-Bashir's palace to demand his resignation after a month of escalating protests.
Simultaneous protests were called in 11 other cities, including Atbara, a farming town in the east where demonstrators first took to the streets on December 19 to protest against a government decision to triple the price of bread.
The demonstrations have since escalated into broader protests against Bashir's three-decade rule that have triggered clashes with the security forces which have left at least 24 people dead, according to officials. Amnesty International said last week that more than 40 people had been killed and more than 1, arrested. Riot police have fired tear gas to disperse previous protests in the capital Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman. An AFP journalist saw security personnel, many in plainclothes, stationed across the downtown area of Khartoum and along the expected route of Thursday's march.
Little traffic was seen at what is usually the height of the morning rush hour as people stayed off the streets. Riot police have moved swiftly to disperse previous protests, firing tear gas to clear the streets of demonstrators chanting the movement's slogan: "Freedom, peace, justice".
The protest movement has been spearheaded by the Sudanese Professionals Association, a trade union representing doctors, teachers and engineers among others, that has stepped into the vacuum created by the arrest of many opposition leaders.
