Army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced a state of emergency in Sudan hours after Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was placed under house arrest along with other senior government officials,. The arrests come after a failed coup attempt in September and weeks of rising tensions between Sudan’s civilian and military leaders, within hours of the news coming out of the arrest of the PM Protesters took to the streets in Khartoum, calling for wide civil disobediences across the country
In a televised address, General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan announced that he was dissolving the country’s ruling Sovereign Council, as well as the government led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Burhan is a military officer who headed the Sovereign Council, a power-sharing ruling body.
Burhan said a new technocratic government would lead the country to elections. He set the date for elections at July 2023. He said quarrels among political factions prompted the military to intervene. He also announced the suspension of the anti-corruption task force.
In response, thousands flooded the streets of the capital, Khartoum, and its twin city of Omdurman to protest the apparent military takeover. Footage shared online appeared to show protesters blocking streets and setting fire to tyres as security forces used tear gas to disperse them. Protesters could be heard chanting, “The people are stronger, stronger” and “Retreat is not an option!” as plumes of smoke filled the air. Videos on social media also showed large crowds crossing bridges over the Nile to the centre of the capital.
Sudan’s information ministry responded that Burhan’s announcement amounted to a military coup.
according to information ministry Armed forces fired live rounds at Sudanese people who took to the streets of Khartoum to protest against Monday’s apparent coup, the information ministry said.
“Military forces have fired live bullets on protesters rejecting the military coup outside the army headquarters,” the ministry said in a statement on Facebook, adding that “casualties are expected”.
PM Macron tweeted in support of Sudan’s transitional government and called for the immediate release of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
“France condemns the attempted coup in Sudan in the strongest terms. I express our support for the Sudanese transitional government and call for the immediate release and safety of the prime minister and civilian leaders,” said Macron on Twitter.
“The US has said it is extremely alarmed, the European Union has said it expresses the utmost concern at what is going on.
“For the moment, nobody knows the whereabouts of Prime Minister Hamdok and it has been said on state television that (Sudanese) General al-Burhan will be taking to the airwaves shortly to make a statement.”
The Arab League has released a statement of “deep concern” about the apparent military coup in Sudan.
The Secretary-General of the 22-member bloc, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, urged all parties on Monday to “fully abide” by the constitutional declaration signed in August 2019, which had aimed to pave the way towards a transition to civilian rule and democratic elections following the ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.
“There are no problems that cannot be resolved [with] dialogue,” Aboul Gheit said after Sudan’s military detained the country’s interim Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok along with other top cabinet officials, and protesters poured into the streets of the capital, Khartoum.
“It is important to respect all decisions and agreements that were decided upon … refraining from any measures that would disrupt the transitional period and shake stability in Sudan,” the statement added.
PM Hamdok asks Sudanese to ‘defend the revolution’
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who is reportedly under house arrest, is asking Sudanese people to continue holding peaceful protests and “defend the revolution”, according to a post on Sudan’s information ministry Facebook page.
It says joint military forces that earlier placed Hamdok under house arrest have been pressuring him to announce a statement supporting the coup.
After refusing to endorse the coup, the army has now moved the prime minister to an unknown location, the ministry added in another post
Military storm state broadcaster, detain employees
Soldiers have stormed the headquarters of Sudan’s state broadcaster and detained some employees, the information ministry said, as part of what it has called a “coup”.
“Joint military forces have stormed the TV and radio headquarters in Omdurman and detained a number of staff,” the ministry said in a statement posted on Facebook.
The internet has been shut down in the country but images have appeared on social media showing angry crowds burning tyres in the streets.
Note this story will be updated
