KHARTOUM - Sudanese police yesterday fired tear gas, used water cannons and rounded up dozens of opposition supporters in a bid to halt a pro-democracy rally outside parliament, an AFP reporter said.

KHARTOUM - Sudanese police yesterday fired tear gas, used water cannons and rounded up dozens of opposition supporters in a bid to halt a pro-democracy rally outside parliament, an AFP reporter said.

Spokesperson for the opposition Ummah party Mohammed Zaki told AFP that senior party officials, including Mariam al-Mahdi, daughter of party leader Sadiq al-Mahdi, were among dozens detained in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman.

Police used tear gas outside opposition party offices in Omdurman, and were using water cannon on cars before detaining passengers, an AFP correspondent said.

Earlier, several protesters from the southern Sudan People's Liberation Movement carrying their party flag were beaten by police as they tried to reach parliament, the correspondent said. - Sapa-AFP