Protests as Sudan military dissolves civilian regime
Khartoum, Monday
Sudan’s military has dissolved civilian rule, arrested political leaders and declared a state of emergency.
Gen Abdel Fattah Burhan, who had been heading a joint council with civilian leaders, blamed political infighting.
Protesters have taken to the streets of the capital, Khartoum, and there are reports of gunfire.
Military and civilian leaders have been at odds since long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir was overthrown two years ago and a transitional government set up.
Video footage from the north African nation’s capital on Monday showed protesters manning lit barricades and entering the area near the military’s headquarters.
Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok is among those reported to have been put under house arrest, along with members of his cabinet and other civilian leaders.
A statement from the information ministry on Facebook said those arrested were being held in “an unidentified location”.
It also said Hamdok was being pressed to support a coup but was refusing to do so and he urged people to continue with peaceful protests to “defend the revolution”.
Gen Burhan has been heading the Sovereign Council, part of a power-sharing arrangement between military and civilian leaders.
Politicians infighting
In a televised address, he said infighting between politicians, ambition and incitement to violence had forced him to act to protect the safety of the nation.
He said Sudan was still committed to “international accords” and the transition to civilian rule, with elections planned for July 2023.
But thousands of protesters have already taken to the streets to denounce a coup, and there has also been international condemnation of the military’s move.
The UK’s special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Robert Fairweather, tweeted that military arrests of civilian leaders was “a betrayal of the revolution, the transition and the Sudanese people”.
The US, UN, EU and Arab League have also expressed deep concern.
The military and civilian transitional authorities have ruled together since President Bashir was toppled after months of street protests in 2019.
The power-sharing deal between the military and a loose coalition of groups - the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) - saw the launch of the Sovereign Council.
It was scheduled to rule the country for another year - with the aim of holding elections and transitioning to civilian rule.
But the deal was always fractious, with a large number of rival political groups - and divisions within the military too.
Sovereign Council
Tensions grew further after a coup attempt attributed to followers of Bashir was foiled in September.
Sudan has been unable to find a workable political system since independence in 1956 and has seen numerous coups and coup attempts.
World leaders and human rights groups have condemned the detention of several high-ranking Sudanese officials in what appears to be a coup attempt, as a senior military official dissolved the government.
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, a general who headed the Sovereign Council, a power-sharing ruling body, announced a state of emergency across the country and dissolved the council and the transitional government on Monday.
The country’s information ministry said al-Burhan has effectively staged a “military coup”.
Earlier, thousands of people poured into the streets of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, after security forces arrested members of the country’s cabinet and several pro-government party leaders. - BBC
