UPDATE - Sudan police disperse mass protest near Bashir’s palace

UPDATES WITH BASHIR’S REMARKS

KHARTOUM (AA) – Sudanese security forces dispersed a mass protest near the presidential palace in capital Khartoum on Tuesday, according to eyewitnesses.

Thousands of protesters marched from Al-Qasr street to the presidency headquarters demanding President Omar al-Bashir to step down from power, the witnesses said.

Police used teargas to disperse the demonstrators.

Dozens of protesters were reportedly arrested.

Al-Bashir, for his part, blamed “traitors and agents” for the unrest in the country.

"Some traitors, agents and mercenaries exploited the living hardships to sabotage and serve the enemies of Sudan,” the Sudanese leader told a rally in the central Al-Jazira state, according to the official SUNA news agency.

He said Tuesday’s rally was “a response to every traitor and agent and those circulating rumors about his arrest”.

“The government will continue to carry out development and reconstruction projects to serve the best of the citizens,” he vowed.

On Monday, 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.

At least eight people have been reportedly killed since the protests began in several Sudanese states last week.

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.