Tear gas used on protesters

Police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of Sudanese protesters who marched on a women’s prison calling for the release of detainees in Omdurman on Sunday, witnesses said.

“We are fighters, we will complete our mission,” protesters chanted as women ululated and men flashed the victory sign, said witnesses.

The protesters called for the release of women arrested in demonstrations against President Omar al-Bashir’s threedecade rule, the witnesses said.

Marchers also called for the “overthrow” of Bashir as they approached the prison in Omdurman — the twin city of the capital, Khartoum — before they were dispersed.

The march was called by the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which is spearheading the protest campaign. Initial demonstrations erupted on December 19 against a government decision to the price of bread, and quickly escalated into calls for Bashir to step down.

The SPA, an umbrella body of doctors, engineers and teachers, called Sunday’s march a “rally for women detainees”.

“The SPA has called today’s march in honour of female detainees and this will inspire us to continue until we achieve success,” a protester said.