In the last two days, at least 10 fatal casualties have occurred in the protests against Sudan’s government over rising food prices and economic demands.In response to the protests, officials declared a state of emergency in the city of Qadarif. The legislator, Al-Tayeb al-Amine Tah, told the local news channel Sudania 24 that six people were killed by Qadarif police.

“The situation in Qadarif has become dangerous and the protests have developed to include fires and theft and it’s now out of control,” Mubarak al-Nur told Reuters news agency.

Al-Jazeera reports that Governor Hatem al-Wassilah said, “The protests began peacefully and then turned to violence and vandalism… We declared a state of emergency and a curfew and the closure of schools in the city.”

In the northeastern city of Atbara, police fired tear gas into protesters and two people were killed. Protesters burned the headquarters of President Omar al-Bashir’s National Congress Party (NCP). The government imposed a curfew on the residents of Atbara.

The former editor of the Sudan Tribune, Wasil Ali writes, “Scenes from anti-Gov demonstrations in the city of Atbara in north east Sudan triggered by bread crisis.”

Protesters have started the international online hashtag ““, which translates to “the cities of Sudan are rising.” Observers described the movement similar to the Yellow Vests movement, a group of French citizens protesting and rioting against the government over soaring fuel prices, but noted that Sudanese protests have not garnered similar international attention or support.