2 opposition figures arrested in Sudan

KHARTOUM (AA) - Sudan’s National Umma Party said Tuesday its Secretary General Sarah Nugdallah and its leader’s daughter, Um Salama al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, were arrested participating in a protest in the capital of Khartoum.

The group which is regarded as the country’s largest opposition party said in a statement that security forces have used “excessive violence” against protesters and “arrested dozens of citizens who expressed their opinion peacefully."

Authorities have yet to comment on the claims.

On Wednesday authorities released the deputy leader of the party who is a daughter of prominent opposition leader Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi after briefly detaining her.

President Omar al-Bashir , in power since 1989, has pledged to carry out urgent economic reforms amid continued calls by the opposition to protest Sudan’s deteriorating economic circumstances.

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