Police killed at least two people and wounded seven during protests Saturday against a ban on smoking shisha in Aweil South County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.

Aweil South County Commissioner Jiel Mangok told Radio Tamazuj that clashes took place after the Chief Administrative Officer issued an order banning smoking hookah, known locally as shisha.

He said police fired live bullets at protesters, which has sparked further anger and tension in the area.

Furious citizens stormed and toched the house of a police officer, who responded by shooting at the protesters.

Mangok said the security situation has returned to normal in the county.

Protests at Aweil market

Separately, there were peaceful protests Monday in Aweil town over what residents say is a rise in crime.

Kuac Deng Kuac, a trader in Aweil market, told Radio Tamazuj that they closed the market in the morning to petition the state government and police over what have become near daily thefts.

Deng said they asked police to leave protection of the market to the traders themselves, but the government strongly refused the request.  Police said they have been protecting the markets at night and are capable of carrying out the task.

Deng said over 30 shops had been burglarized in May.  Police have made no arrests.

Head of the state Commerce Chamber Athian Athian said some traders closed their shops for alleged rampant stealing at the market, but vehemently dismissed claims of protests. He said traders only came to the Office of the Chamber of Commerce and to the police to complain about the thefts.

Athian urged traders to be patient while the state government provides security around the market.

File photo: People in Juba protest against a suspected militia attack on remote villages in Jonglei State, 20 October 2013 (Daily Nation, Kenya)