While previous protests in Sudan have been limited mainly to Khartoum and its environs, the current round of demonstrations has expanded beyond the capital and has reached a higher level of violence than prior cases of similar unrest. On Sept. 27, the heaviest protests were witnessed early in the day in the city of Medani, 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Khartoum, where protests originally erupted on Sept. 22. Protests in Khartoum On a tactical level, the larger geographic spread of the protests is straining the security forces that are scrambling to quell the violence. While the security forces were able to lock down most of north Khartoum during the first days of protests, large demonstrations took place there on Sept. 27 as well. South and east Khartoum, along with Khartoum's twin city Omdurman, remain restive.