Sudanese marchers protest against the government in Khartoum on Tuesday, December 25.
Khartoum, Sudan CNN  — 

Sudanese opposition leader Omar el-Digeir has been arrested after a crackdown on anti-government protests held across Sudan on Friday, his Sudanese Congress Party said.

“Omar el-Digeir, President of the Sudanese Congress Party, was captured by security forces at 5:45 p.m. on Friday night and taken to an unknown location,” the party’s leadership said in a statement on its official Facebook page.

“This is within a wider crusade to stop and punish the Sudanese people for protesting the shortages and lack of money, corruption and repression,” it said.

“The Congress Party is not going to be intimidated or frightened by the terrors of the regime and will fight until we get rid of [Sudanese President Omar] al-Bashir and his followers.”

Sudan’s security forces fired shots into the air Friday to disperse anti-government protesters in the capital, Khartoum, on what was the 10th consecutive day of protests in the north African country.

The protests against Bashir, led by grassroots neighborhood protesters, were triggered by fuel shortages and a spike in food prices that saw the cost of bread double in the past year.

Larger protests, organized by professional unions representing doctors, lawyers, teachers and students, are planned and are supported by two of the largest opposition parties.

The violent clashes have left at least 19 people dead and another 406 injured, Sudan’s Minister of Information Bushara Juma told reporters on Thursday. Amnesty International said at least 37 people had been killed since the protests began.