Two people killed following clashes with the police in White Nile State

July 28, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese police have killed two civilians in White Nile state following clashes after difference over the compensation of farmers that their land had been confiscation to construct a sugar plant

A group of farmers in the village of Alawag, along the Nile south of Khartoum, clashed on Monday with the security force after their refusal to open the highway going to Khartoum and Kosti. Two protesters were killed and two other wounded. They security forces also said seven policemen were injured.

“The people who closed the road attacked the police and subsequently seven police were injured, two civilians were killed and another two civilians were injured,” said a statement issued by the Sudanese police in Khartoum.

The Sudanese authorities said they clashed with the farmers because they closed the highway and tried to prevent the police from opening it using white weapons.

The villagers say they closed the highway to protest against the rejection of compensation committee to pay them for the confiscated land to build the plant. While the local authorities accused the famers of fraud saying they added false names in the lists of affected farmers.

Further, Al-Jazeera TV office in Khartoum said today that the security forces had confiscated video footage filmed by one of their crew which covered the deadly clashes.

(ST)