Africans continue Iraq protests

Africans continue Iraq protests

In Sudan, anger about the war is now being twinned with anger against the government.

Protests against war in Iraq have continued across the weekend in several African nations.

Students in the Sudanese capital Khartoum have held anti-war protests for a third day - two days after a student was killed in a similar protest.

In Senegal, police have used tear gas to disperse hundreds of stone-throwing students outside the United States embassy.

Meanwhile, Uganda has become the third African country to publicly declare support for the US-led invasion.

Khartoum violence

In Sudan, hundreds of demonstrators clashed with police on the streets of Khartoum for the third day running on Monday.

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The BBC's Alfred Taban in Khartoum says about 500 students have been using stones to attack the police, who have responded by beating them with batons.

He says the students were originally demonstrating against the war on Iraq. But since the death of a protestor in Khartoum on Saturday, he says the focus of their anger has shifted to the government and the police.

There were protests across Africa after last Friday's prayers

Reuters news agency reported students shouting "Leave power, you dictatorial government," alongside chants of "Down, down USA! Bush is a war criminal!" on Sunday.

In Senegal, both students and lecturers also protested at the university, denouncing the "gangsterism" of the US and its allies.

In the small Muslim nation of Djibouti, several hundred protesters rallied on Saturday, some painting their faces with slogans such as "No War" and "God is Great".

But the demonstration developed into a two-hour stand-off with police.

Correspondents say protesters were angered when they were prevented from reaching their assembly point.

Djibouti is the headquarters of the American campaign against terrorism in the Horn of Africa.

Uganda backs US campaign

Uganda surprised observers - and, the BBC's Will Ross in Kampala says, its own citizens - when it became only the third African country to declare support for action in Iraq.

Foreign Minister James Wapakhabulo said in a statement that Uganda had been "a victim of state-sponsored terrorism of the worst type.

"This terrorism has emanated from some of the neighbouring countries with the active support of Saddam Hussein's Government," he said.

Our correspondent says this seems a surprising link for the Ugandan government to make, and many Ugandans seem sceptical about the announcement.