Sudan police fire tear gas as civil disobedience campaign begins

KHARTOUM AFP JUNE9,2019- Sudanese police fired tear gas Sunday at protesters taking part in the first day of a civil disobedience campaign, called in the wake of a deadly crackdown on demonstrators.

Protesters gathered tyres, tree trunks and rocks to build new roadblocks in Khartoum’s northern Bahari district, a witness told AFP, but riot police swiftly moved in and fired tear gas at them.

The latest bid by demonstrators to close off streets in the capital comes nearly a week after a deadly raid on a sit-in outside army headquarters which left dozens dead. The bloody crackdown prompted the Sudanese Professionals Association, which first launched protests against longtime ruler Omar al-bashir in December, to announce a nationwide civil disobedience campaign starting Sunday.

The SPA said the movement will end only after the military rulers, who took over after Bashir’s ouster two months ago, transfer power to a civilian government. BLURB: The SPA said the movement will end only after the military rulers, who took over after Bashir’s ouster two months ago, transfer power to a civilian government