14 reportedly killed in Sudan as protesters call for end to president's rule

Demonstrations in the capital of Khartoum have been gaining intensity in recent days as protesters staged a sit-in in front of the military complex there.  Now the scene has turned violent. Security forces killed at least 14 people on Tuesday, activists involved in the demonstration told the Associated Press. At least eight others have been killed since Saturday, including members of security forces, the news service reported.
Sudan has been the site of protests since late December, when a protest began over the price of bread. The economic concerns have become political demands, and protesters want an end to the 30-year-rule of President Omar al-Bashir.
As the AP reports, activists are pushing their appeal with fresh vigor after nearly four months of protests: "On Monday, for the first time, leaders of the protests called on the military's leadership to abandon al-Bashir and join their call for change. And on Tuesday, they invited military leaders to meet with their representatives to 'discuss arrangements for a transition' in Sudan."
Amid the crackdown, there are signs that the government's control could be weakening. Video that was being shared on Tuesday showed some members of the military shielding protesters and site of the sit-in, the AP reported.
NPR Africa Correspondent Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports that the Sudanese interior minister told Parliament on Monday that 15 protesters and 42 security force members have been injured, and nearly 2,500 people arrested. Key sections of the security forces remain loyal to Bashir, Quist-Arcton notes.