Sudan’s military has placed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok under house arrest after moving him to an unknown location for refusing to support a coup, according to the information ministry.
The chairman of Sudan’s ruling body General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan later announced the dissolution of the transitional government and the sovereign council and declared a nationwide state of emergency.
Sudan has been on edge since a failed coup plot last month unleashed bitter recriminations between military and civilian groups meant to be sharing power following the toppling of the country’s longtime leader Omar al-Bashir.
Here are the latest updates:
‘Devastated’ by coup, says Sudan activist
Speaking from Washington DC, Jalelah Ahmed, a Sudanese activist, told Al Jazeera that the Sudanese diaspora has been on alert since last night.
She said that her cousin in Khartoum had been terrified at the developments and that she was heartbroken with what had unfolded overnight.
“We are utterly devastated this morning,” said Ahmed. “We are heartbroken to see [the military] has decided to proceed in that fashion.”
“There was no reason to dissolve the transitional council which was tasked with overseeing the [implementation] of the Constitution and to protecting the Sudanese people and democracy,” she added.
Sudanese opposition coalition calls for civil disobedience
Sudan’s main opposition coalition called for civil disobedience and protests across the country after the military dissolved the transitional government, the information ministry said.
The Forces of Freedom and Change alliance demanded that the transitional military council step down and transfer power back to the civilian government.
It also called for the release of all detained members of the cabinet and the sovereign council, a ruling body that had shared power between the military and civilians until it was dissolved by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Monday, the ministry said on Facebook.
EU condemns the military’s actions
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement that the right of peaceful protest must be respected, and violence and bloodshed avoided at all costs in Sudan.
“The actions of the military represent a betrayal of the revolution, the transition, and the legitimate requests of the Sudanese people for peace, justice, and economic development,” he said.
“We call on the security forces to immediately release those they have unlawfully detained,” Borrell said.
UN chief calls for the immediate release of Sudan’s officials
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the immediate release of Sudan’s prime minister and all other officials after the Sudan military seized power in the nation.
“I condemn the ongoing military coup in Sudan. Prime Minister Hamdok & all other officials must be released immediately. There must be full respect for the constitutional charter to protect the hard-won political transition. The UN will continue to stand with the people of Sudan,” Guterres wrote on Twitter.
I condemn the ongoing military coup in Sudan. Prime Minister Hamdok & all other officials must be released immediately. There must be full respect for the constitutional charter to protect the hard-won political transition. The UN will continue to stand with the people of Sudan.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 25, 2021
‘A lot of trouble’ expected in Sudan: Correspondent
Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Vall, who has reported extensively on Sudan, said it was unlikely for the young people who are in the streets of Khartoum to stop their resistance following the announcement of the state of emergency that entails curfews.
“We can expect troubles ahead. They are not going to go back home easily,” he said.
“The civilians in the streets of Khartoum at the moment are armed to their teeth. We know that the armed factions that came from the fringes during the last three years came with their weapons. Nobody checked and because they are in power.”
“To return to the dialogue again will take a long time. And there will be a lot of trouble before it begins again.”
‘Utterly unacceptable’: World reacts to Sudan arrests
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.
Sudanese protesters gesture during a demonstration in the capital Khartoum [AFP]
Sudan’s military ruler declares national state of emergency
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the military officer who heads a power-sharing ruling council, announced a state of emergency across the country and the dissolution of the transitional sovereign council and the government.
He said the 2019 agreement on the transitional government which the civilian and military leadership had shared had turned into a struggle that was threatening peace and security.
The military needed to protect the country’s safety and security as stated in the constitutional declaration, he said, announcing the dissolution of the power-sharing ruling council and the government.
He also announced the removal of state governors, saying the elections will be held in July 2023.
Office of Sudan’s prime minister urges protesters to take to streets
The office of Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok called on protesters to take to the streets after security forces detained senior civilian leaders in the transitional government.
“We call on the Sudanese people to protest using all peaceful means possible … to take back their revolution from the thieves,” Hamdok’s office said in a statement.
Thousands of people are protesting in Khartoum against the military leadership [AFP]
Civilian council member calls coup ‘political foolishness’
Sudanese civilian sovereign council member Mohammed Hassan Eltaishi said on his official Facebook page that Monday’s apparent military coup was “political foolishness” and that he would resist it “until the last drop of blood”.
At least 12 were injured in anti-military protests in Khartoum
Sudanese Doctors Committee has said on Facebook that at least 12 people were injured in Khartoum during the demonstrations against the attempted military coup, without providing further details.
Sudan’s information ministry said that the protesters were being shot near the military’s headquarters in Khartoum.
It had said earlier on its official Facebook page that tens of thousands of protesters had taken to the streets. heeding calls by the country’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok to reject the coup.
Sudanese protesters burn tyries to block a road in 60th Street in the capital Khartoum [AFP]
Germany calls for ‘immediate end’ to Sudan coup attempt
Germany has condemned a coup attempt in Sudan and called for an “immediate end” to the action.
“The news of a new coup attempt in Sudan is troubling,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement.
“I call on everyone in Sudan responsible for security and order to continue Sudan’s transition to democracy and to respect the will of the people. The attempted overthrow must come to an immediate end.”
Justification for Sudan coup ‘mind-boggling’: Analyst
Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara has said the military leadership’s justification for the coup is “mind-boggling”.
“They think that the arrangement of the past two years was simply an arrangement between the military who are entrusted with Sudan and some technocrats who are running the day-to-day government or governing under their leadership, the military leadership and that this arrangement is no longer working for the good of the people of Sudan,” he said.
“So the idea that Sudan has gone through major popular upheaval and brought about civilian government after 30 years of military dictatorship does not exist for the Sudanese generals.”
Anti-military protesters lift national flags as they rally on 60th Street in Khartoum [AFP]
Arab League expresses ‘deep concern’ over Sudan
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 to “fully abide” by the constitutional declaration signed in August 2019, which had aimed to pave the way for a transition to civilian rule and democratic elections.
“There are no problems that cannot be resolved without dialogue,” Aboul Gheit said. “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.”
UN says detention of Sudan civilian leaders ‘unacceptable’
The United Nations has said that Sudanese security forces’ detention of civilian leaders including Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was “unacceptable”.
“I am deeply concerned about reports of an ongoing coup and attempts to undermine Sudan’s political transition. The reported detentions of the Prime Minister, government officials, and politicians are unacceptable,” said Volker Perthes, the UN special representative to Sudan.
“I call on the security forces to immediately release those who have been unlawfully detained or placed under house arrest,” he said on Twitter.
Anti-military protesters burn tires to block a road in 60th Street in the capital Khartoum [AFP]
Sudanese ex-rebel leader Yasir Arman arrested
The Deputy Chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), Yasir Arman, was arrested from his home, according to his Twitter.
Arman was an adviser to Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok after his armed group signed a peace deal in 2020 with transitional authorities and promised to integrate with the army.
EU voices ‘grave’ concern over Sudan upheaval
The European Union has expressed grave concern about a possible military takeover underway in Sudan.
EU Foreign Affairs chief Josep Borrell said on Twitter that he is following events in the northeast African nation with the “utmost concern”.
“The EU calls on all stakeholders and regional partners to put back on track the transition process,” Borrell wrote.
Soldiers storm Sudan state broadcaster’s headquarters: Ministry
Soldiers have stormed the headquarters of Sudan’s state broadcaster and detained some employees, the information ministry says, 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.
Sudan’s information ministry urges the military to free detainees
Sudan is facing a full military coup, the information ministry has said, urging the immediate release of all detainees.
The Sudanese people should try to stop the military’s efforts to block democratic transition, it added in a statement to the Reuters news agency.
“We invite everyone to continue the march until the coup attempt is brought down,” it said.
A protester draped with the national flag flashes the victory sign next to burning tires [AFP]
Army blocks roads restricts telecommunications
Al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan, reporting from Khartoum, said “telecommunications access has been restricted” in the country “so it’s very hard to communicate with people here”.
“The military has also blocked all roads and bridges leading into Khartoum city. We’ve seen soldiers blocking access and they are telling us these are the orders they got,” she said.
“They are saying access to Khartoum city is to be restricted, and this is raising concern because that’s where the government institutions are, that’s where the presidential palace and the prime minister’s offices are located.”
Hamdok being held in an unknown location
Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was moved to an unknown location after refusing to issue a statement in support of a continuing military coup, the information ministry said.
Joint military forces holding Hamdok under house arrest were pressuring him to issue a supportive statement, the information ministry said earlier on Monday.
It cited Hamdok calling on the Sudanese people to resist the coup attempt peacefully and “defend their revolution”.
Hamdok called on the people to ‘defend their revolution’, according to the information ministry [Ashraf Shazly/AFP]
The US expresses alarm at reports of the military takeover
The United States said it was “deeply alarmed” at reports of a military takeover in Sudan.
“The US is deeply alarmed at reports of a military takeover of the transitional government,” said US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman.
“This would contravene the Constitutional Declaration (which outlines the transition) and the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people,” he said, according to a statement on Twitter.
