At least 27 people have been reported to have died in four days of protests against the government’s decision to cut fuel subsidies in Sudan, CEOAFRICA.com gathered.

The suspension has caused a sharp rise in fuel prices, a development that has angered civilians and prompted some to call for the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir.

According to sources, President Omar al-Bashir has cancelled his trip to the ongoing U.N General Congress in New York, while security forces have been deployed around key areas, particularly the gas stations after rioters sets buildings ablaze. This is one of the biggest challenges which the Bashir-led administration is facing since he seized power in 1989.

The protests began Monday after the government announced the fuel subsidy suspension in a bid to help the economy.  On Sunday, President Bashir said the subsidies had reached a level that was "dangerous" for Sudan's economy.

Sudan's fuel crisis began after South Sudan became independent in 2011.  The new nation took over about three-quarters of Sudan's crude oil production.