Tear gas fired at thousands rallying in Sudan against coup

Sudanese security forces  fired tear gas Monday at protesters opposed to last year's military coup, ahead of a visit by US diplomats to ramp up support for a civilian-led transition.

The latest rallies came with US envoy to the Horn of Africa David Satterfield and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee expected in Khartoum this week to push a message of "justice" for the Sudanese. 

Demonstrators carrying the Sudanese flag gathered in central Khartoum as well as in Wad Madani, a city to the south.

Security officers who deployed in large numbers fired volleys of tear gas at the Khartoum protesters heading toward the presidential palace, an correspondent said. 

Several people were seen suffering breathing difficulties and others bleeding due to wounds by tear gas canisters, the correspondent said. 

Sawsan Salah, from the capital's twin city of Omdurman, said protesters burnt car tyres and carried photos of people killed during other demonstrations since the October 25 coup.

In Wad Madani, "around 2,000 people took to the streets as they called for civilian rule," said Emad Mohammed, a witness there. 

"The military back to the barracks," and "the rule is that of the people's", thousands of protesters chanted in North Khartoum, witnesses said.

Protesters -- sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands -- have regularly taken to the streets despite a deadly security clampdown and periodic cuts to communications since the putsch led by army general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.