Calm prevails in all Sudanese provinces: Police spox

By Adel Abdel-Rahim

KHARTOUM (AA) - A state of calmness has prevailed across Sudan after a week of protests, Sudanese police said late Wednesday.

Maj. Gen. Hashim Ali Abdul-Rahim, a police spokesman, said in a statement that security conditions were calm in all of the 18 provinces, including capital Khartoum.

"There were no reports of riots or protests," he said.

At least eight people have been reportedly killed in several Sudanese provinces since the beginning of the protests -- Dec. 19.

On Monday, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has been in power since 1989, pledged to carry out economic reforms amid street protests over price hikes and a shortage of basic commodities.

A nation of 40 million people, Sudan has struggled to recover from the loss of three quarters of its oil output -- its main source of foreign currency -- when South Sudan seceded in 2011.

The U.S. started to impose economic embargo on Sudan in 1997 for terror abet reason but pledged to lift it in January.