5 protesters, including 4 students killed in Sudan during rally

Five protesters including four students were shot dead and several wounded at a rally in a town in central Sudan on Monday, a doctors committee linked to the protest movement said.

“Five martyrs succumbed to direct wounds from sniper bullets during a peaceful rally in Al-Obeid,” the committee said in a statement.

The reason for the rally was not immediately clear but it came as protest leaders and the ruling generals prepare to resume talks in Khartoum on Tuesday.

READ: Protesters and army generals sign power-sharing deal in Sudan

The two sides are to meet to resolve remaining issues concerning the transfer of power from the ruling military council to a new civilian administration.

The generals and protest leaders agreed on July 17 to form a new joint civilian-military governing body that would install an overall civilian rule in the country.

READ: Sudan’s doctor-protesters accuse paramilitary unit of torturing civilians to death

That is the main demand of a nationwide protest movement that led to the April ouster of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir and has since demanded that the military council which took his place cede power to civilians.