Cash-strapped Sudan hikes fuel prices

Oil prices in Sudan rose by up to a fifth on Saturday, after a directive from the country's finance ministry, The New Arab's Arabic-language sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported.

Queues quickly grew at petrol stations as people flocked to fill up their vehicles, the news site said.

Bloomberg reported that petrol and diesel prices had risen by about 15 percent on Saturday.

Sudan is already struggling economically after the International Monetary Fund suspended payments to the country after the 25 October coup.

Khartoum began phasing out fuel subsidies last year as part of strict austerity measures supported by the IMF, which approved billions in funding for the cash-strapped country.

Sudan has suffered from shortages in bread and other staple goods in the months since the coup.