Sudanese president blames West for economic troubles

By Husameldin Badawi Ahmed Almayl,Safiye Karabacak</p> <p>KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) – The West's embargo has caused economic troubles in Sudan, the country’s president said on Tuesday.</p> <p>Sudanese state TV reported that Omar al-Bashir, who addressed residents of a village in the Gezira state near Khartoum, said that there are saboteurs and agents, who aimed to impede development and progress of Sudan.</p> <p>Al-Bashir stated that traitors, agents and mercenaries ruin Sudanese state's institutions. &quot;Sudan has economic difficulties due to the West’s embargo,&quot; he said.</p> <p>Sudanese security forces dispersed a mass protest near the presidential palace in capital Khartoum on Tuesday, according to eyewitnesses.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Police used teargas to disperse the demonstrators.</p> <p>Dozens of protesters were reportedly arrested.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>At least eight people have been reportedly killed since the protests began in several Sudanese states last week.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>The U.S. started to impose economic embargo on Sudan in 1997 for terror abet reason but pledged to lift it in January. </p> <p>