Calm returns to Sudanese capital after deadly riots

Calm returned to the Sudanese capital of Khartoum Thursday after three days of anti-government protests over fuel subsidy cuts, which killed 29 people and caused severe property damage nationwide. As many as 29 people, including civilians and policemen, were killed over the past three days during the protests in Khartoum and Gezira State, the Sudanese police said in a statement Thursday. "Khartoum and Gezira States witnessed unfortunate incidents which resulted in 29 cases of death among citizens and policemen," said the statement, a copy of which was obtained by Xinhua. "A number of people involved in the incidents and policemen also suffered varied injuries, some of whom are in serious conditions," the statement said, contending "some trends tried to exaggerate and double the death toll without verification of the correct figure." A wide combing operation against gangsters and saboteurs has been conducted in Sudan, and hundreds of people have been arrested with many of the looted public and private properties being restored, according to the statement. Earlier in the day, units from the police and security organs were deployed on the main streets and gas stations. Sudan's Information Minister and government spokesman, Ahmed Bilal Osman, told reporters that the government would adopt the necessary measures to end any sabotage acts that may threat the security and the safety of citizens. He disclosed that the protesters burned over 20 petrol stations in Khartoum and looted around 53 houses. Many people still gathered around the gas stations in Khartoum as a number of gas stations were burned and looted, according to Xinhua correspondent. A military officer, who was leading the task of securing a gas station south of Khartoum, told Xinhua that "we notified the owners of the station that we are responsible of protecting it... The situation seems calm today." Meanwhile, the internet service was resumed in Khartoum on Thursday after being cut off for 24 hours. Sudanese local media reported that Mustafa Abdul-Hafez, the director of the technical department at the Sudanese National Telecommunications Corporation, have attributed the internet shutdown to protesters' attack against Canar, one of the biggest communications companies in Sudan. The Khartoum government on Monday announced a fuel price hike as part of a package of economic reforms aiming at reviving the country's economy. A wave of protests erupted on Tuesday at various areas of Khartoum, with hundreds of people demonstrating at Omdurman, and others blocking the main road linking Khartoum to southern areas of the capital and burning a number of gas stations. Sudan's Education Ministry on Wednesday announced a short-term suspension of all schools in Khartoum due to the protests. Sudan's economy has been suffering from difficulties after losing two thirds of oil resources following the separation with South Sudan in 2011.