Sudan: Anti-government protests take new turn [The Morning Call]

Fresh anti-government protests have rocked Sudan since Saturday in what appears to be a new phase of the four-month popular uprising against President Omar al-Bashir’s regime.

Thousands of demonstrators staged protests in the capital Khartoum outside the presidential palace, which also hosts the army headquarters and the Defense Ministry. This is the first time protesters reached the army headquarters, a sign that security forces’ resolve to put down the rebellion may be weakening.

Saturday’s demonstrations marked the anniversary of the 1985 military coup that overthrew autocratic president Jaafar Nimeiri, after mass protests against his rule, thus representing an apparent escalation of the revolt.

Reports indicate that so far, five people have been killed from the weekend protests though security forces claim that only one person had died.