Sudanese opposition leader arrested

The family of Sudan’s top Islamist opposition leader said today that he has been arrested after calling for a Tunisia-style uprising in the country.

Wasaal al-Mahdi, the wife of veteran Islamist Hussein al-Turabi, said security forces arrested him at around midnight and took him to a Khartoum prison along with his bodyguard.

Ms al-Mahdi said the bodyguard was beaten while in detention and released early today. Mr al-Turabi is still in custody.

Mr al-Turabi has recently spoken out against President Omar al-Bashir’s government and called for a popular uprising similar to the revolt in Tunisia which toppled the country’s authoritarian president.

A recent hike in the price of oil and basic commodities in Sudan has sparked protests by university students and calls for the resignation of local officials.