Khartoum, Jan.30( Darfur24) One protester was killed as security forces confronted thousands of people protesting against military rule in Sudan’s capital Khartoum on Sunday, medics linked to the demonstrations said.

The 27-year-old, Mohamed Yousef Ismail, was hit in the chest, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD) said. here was no immediate statement from the military rulers who have been trying to contain a series of protests across Sudan since they took power on Oct. 25.

Security forces fired tear gas to try to disperse the crowds who were marching in defiance of a ban on demonstrations, a Darfur24 reporter said.

Protesters got within about 2 km of the presidential palace on the banks of the Blue Nile before security forces blocked their way in the early afternoon and started chasing protesters back and forth.

Armed soldiers and military vehicles were deployed across the capital for the first time in recent weeks in an apparent show of force.

Pictures and footage of rallies in other towns and cities across Sudan were posted on social media, though Darfur24 could not independently verify when the images were taken.

On Saturday, Khartoum State authorities issued a decision banning processions and mass gatherings in central Khartoum, urging people to gather instead in squares and local areas.

At least 79 civilians have been killed and more than 2,000 injured in crack-downs on the protests, mainly by gunshots and teargas canisters, according to the CCSD.