Sudan police fire tear gas at protesters

Sudanese police Monday fired tear gas and beat demonstrators as scores protested in downtown Khartoum against the killing of a civilian allegedly by paramilitaries the previous day, witnesses said.

About 200 protesters chanting "civilian rule, civilian rule" demonstrated at a bus station in downtown Khartoum only to be dispersed by riot police who fired tear gas, witnesses said.

"The police fired tear gas to disperse us but we still came back," a protester told AFP.

Riot police beat several protesters and loaded them into trucks as large number of policemen deployed in the area.

Witnesses said similar demonstrations took place in other parts of the capital.

On Sunday a civilian was shot dead in the town of El-Souk southeast of Khartoum, as members of the feared paramilitary Rapid Support Forces allegedly fired at protesters that the paramilitaries leave the town, according to residents and doctors close to the protest movement.

Monday's demonstration in the capital came as protest leaders and the country's ruling military council are working out the finer details of a landmark power sharing agreement reached between the two sides earlier this month.

But in recent days these negotiations have been postponed twice following requests from protest leaders.

They are now scheduled to take place on Tuesday.