Three dead after Sudan protest as crowds cheer Bashir at rival rally

Three protesters died after police broke up an anti-government demonstration in Sudan, police said Thursday, as thousands chanted support for President Omar al-Bashir at a rival rally in Khartoum.

Wednesday's competing rallies in the Sudanese capital followed a month of angry street protests over a government decision to triple the price of bread at a time when the country faces an acute shortage of foreign currency and soaring inflation.

Protesters chanting "Freedom, Peace, Justice" and "Revolution is the people's choice" blocked a key road in Omdurman, the twin city to Khartoum, but were quickly confronted with tear gas by riot police, witnesses said.

Videos posted on social media showed some demonstrators pelting police officers with rocks.

The footage could not be verified independently.

On Thursday, police confirmed that three protesters had died in the Omdurman anti-government protest but did not specify how they had died.

"An illegal gathering was held in Omdurman and police dispersed it with tear gas," police spokesman Hashim Abdelrahim said in a statement.

"Police later received reports that three protesters had died and several injured. We are now investigating."
"We will stop anyone who destroys our properties."