SUDANESE government forces have been accused of an “unbridled killing spree” as protests demanding the resignation of authoritarian President Omar al-Bashir continue to spread across the country.

Mr Bashir, who came to power in a 1989 coup, remained defiant and insists the protests, which have taken place in most major Sudanese towns and cities, are the work of foreign agents and rebels from Darfur.

His government said 26 have been killed as a result of the protests – however human rights groups put the figure at more than 40.

Security forces have have taken a hard-line response to the unrest, opening fire on crowds with live bullets. 

Doctors and journalists have been targeted by the regime with arrest warrants issued for 38 reporters on Sunday accused of false news to incite dissent and the overthrow of the government. Many international news organisations have been asked to leave the country over their reporting of the anti-government uprising.

What started as anger over Sudan’s dire economic situation and rises in the cost of bread and other basic goods soon developed into calls for an end to Mr Bashir’s 30-year autocratic rule.

But in a speech on Sunday Mr Bashir told the nation that outside forces were to blame for the escalating violence.

“There are some people among the protesters who are killing the demonstrators,” he claimed.

The Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) offices were surrounded by military vehicles and armed members of the security services on Saturday.

One party member was grilled as they left the building with soldiers demanding to know how many people were inside the building and who they were.

Security forces withdrew once they realised nobody else was inside the headquarters but the building remains under close surveillance according to a statement from the SCP.

They warned: “This is the second attempt by the regime’s security forces to harass our party headquarters during the past four weeks, since peaceful protesters took to the streets, day and night nationwide, to end the dictatorial Islamist regime.”

Five members of the SCP central committee have been arrested by the regime for their role in the anti-government protests.

Security forces fired tear gas as hundreds marched to the presidential palace in Khartoum on Sunday attempting to deliver a petition calling on Mr Bashir to resign. They chanted the main slogan of the movement: “Freedom, peace and justice” and “Overthrow, overthrow.”

Further protests are expected despite the crackdown as pressure mounts on Mr Bashir.