Sudan rallies continue as police side with protesters

KHARTOUM- Agence France-Presse

Thousands of Sudanese protesters pressed on with their campaign against President Omar al-Bashir's rule for a fifth day outside the army headquarters in the capital on April 10, witnesses said.

Crowds of demonstrators continued to throng the sprawling complex through the night, singing and dancing to the tunes of revolutionary songs, witnesses said.

"The night passed peacefully without any incident," said a protester who had spent the entire night at the complex.

"We believe that the support from the soldiers on the ground and now the police is definitely growing."

Demonstrators have braved regular volleys of tear gas from members of the powerful National Intelligence and Security Service since they began camping at the army headquarters on April 6, protest organizers say.

But for the first time they did not face any "threat" from security agents during the night, said the protester who did not want to be named for security reasons.

On April 9 security agents had to abort their bids to disperse the crowds when soldiers fired gunshots in the air to counter incoming volleys of tear gas from security agents.

"It seems the police too are now with us," said the protester.

"When we were coming to the army building last night we saw many policemen but they did not stop us."           

The police on April 9 ordered its personnel to avoid intervening against the demonstrators.

Demonstrations first erupted on December 19 in response to a government decision to triple the price of bread.