Four protesters were shot dead during the 11th day of major demonstrations in Sudan since the October 25 coup, as tens of thousands of people marched against military rule.

Iran PressAfrica: Security forces fired tear gas and stun grenades as protesters marched through Khartoum and the neighboring cities of Omdurman and Bahri towards the presidential palace on Thursday.

The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD) said four protesters were shot dead by security forces, three of them in Omdurman.

The protests were the 11th day of major demonstrations since an October 25 coup, which saw Abdallah Hamdok removed and then reinstated as prime minister. The demonstrators have been demanding that the military play no role in government during a transition to free elections.

According to Al Jazeera, the situation in Omdurman had developed into a serious confrontation between the security forces and anti-coup protesters.

Earlier on Thursday, Security forces confronted protesters about 2km from the Presidential palace in the center of the capital, Reuters news agency reported, adding that there was a heavy security presence in the area.

Amid a communications blackout, most bridges to Khartoum were closed, with at least two blocked by shipping containers. An army checkpoint with an armored vehicle was seen at one of the bridges that remained open.

Protesters heading towards the blocked bridge connecting the city of Bahri to the capital chanted: “As much as we sacrifice and die, we won’t be ruled by the boot.”

At least 52 people have been killed by security forces since pro-democracy activists launched a campaign of street demonstrations against the coup, according to the group.

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