Numeiri Heads for ‘Paralyzed’ Capital City

Activity in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum slowed almost to a halt Friday on the third day of a general strike against President Jaafar Numeiri.

The British Broadcasting Corp. reported that there was a “state of total paralysis” and a fuel shortage in Khartoum, which has been cut off from the outside world for three days. The city’s international airport remained closed Friday and telephone and telex lines were still out of service.

Numeiri wrapped up a visit to Washington on Friday--a day earlier than he had planned--and boarded a Sudanese government jet for the flight back to Khartoum, Sudanese officials said.

The officials, speaking from Washington and quoted by Egypt’s Middle East News Agency, said Numeiri would stop for two hours in Cairo for talks with President Hosni Mubarak and then return home to deal with the general strike against his regime.

Numeiri, who went to Washington for a medical check-up and talks on increased U.S. financial aid for his drought-plagued nation, met with Secretary of State George P. Shultz for about 45 minutes Friday.

The general strike against Numeiri was declared by the country’s professionals to protest his government’s economic policies and price hikes.

Riots broke out last week over the end of government subsidies, which triggered the price increases. Since then, police and army troops have patrolled Khartoum and five people have died in clashes.