School-goers Protest Bread Shortages In War-torn Darfur

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School-goers protest bread shortages in war-torn Darfur

Khartoum, Sept 22 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Sep, 2019 ) :Sudanese police on Sunday fired tear gas at crowds of school students protesting over a shortage of bread in South Darfur state, witnesses and the country's protest movement said.

The protest in state capital Niyala saw school pupils march on the governor's office, witnesses said.

They were swiftly confronted by police who fired tear gas to disperse them, onlookers told AFP by telephone.

The umbrella protest movement Forces of Freedom and Change condemned the "violence".

"Hundreds of students protested against the shortage of bread and when they reached the government headquarters in Niyala, police used violence against them," the FFC said in a statement.

"There are several injured among the students.

We condemn the use of violence against the student protest and call for an investigation." Sudan's western region of Darfur has been torn by years of conflict that erupted in 2003 between ethnic minority rebels and the forces of now ousted leader Omar al-Bashir.

It was the tripling of bread prices that triggered initial protests against the administration of Bashir in December last year.

The protests swiftly escalated into a nationwide movement against Bashir, which finally led to his ouster in April, ending his three-decade rule.

Sporadic protests are still being staged over gainst local grievances as Sudan transitions to civilian rule, as demanded by the umbrella protest movement.