Sudan: 8 killed in agitation over bread, fuel price hike

Agitation resulting from soaring prices of bread and fuel claimed the lives of eight people across Sudan, local media reported on Thursday (local time).

Emergency was imposed in the city of Gadarif, where six people were reportedly killed in clashes with the police. Furthermore, in Atbara city in eastern Sudan, two protesters died after police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the mob.

A curfew was also imposed in the national capital after demonstrators reportedly burnt the headquarters of the National Congress Party (NCP) of Sudan and called for President Omar al-Bashir's ouster, Al Jazeera reported.

However, a spokesperson from the government told Sudan News Agency that authorities did not resort to any kind of 'repression or opposition' of agitators.

The Sudanese government, earlier this week, had increased the price of bread from one ($0.02) to three Sudanese pounds ($0.063). Moreover, prices of fuel were reportedly doubled, which led to widespread agitation.