Sudan defends crackdown as protests enter second week

Sudan has pointed to "fake" victim photos and foreign interference in defence of a deadly crackdown on protesters, which drew fresh criticism from inside the ruling party as rallies continued.

With reporters complaining of stepped-up censorship, numerous videos and photographs purporting to show bloodied victims have circulated on YouTube, Facebook and other social media since the demonstrations began eight days ago, sparked by a rise in fuel prices.

"Most of the pictures on social media websites are from Egypt," Interior Minister Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamed told a news conference Monday, where he and other officials were confronted by a Sudanese reporter.

"Why are you always telling lies? The people are killed by NCP militia," said Bahram Abdelmoneim when he got up to ask a question.

Abdelmoneim, of Al Youm Al Taly newspaper, was referring to the ruling National Congress Party. He was unreachable by telephone later after colleagues said he had gone to a meeting with state security agents.