Sudanese security forces have on Monday arrested Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, some cabinet members, and a large number of pro-government party leaders in an apparent military coup. According to the information ministry, Hamdok was taken to an undisclosed location following his refusal to issue a statement in support of the coup. “After he refused to be a part of the coup, a force from the army detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and took him to an unidentified location,” the statement said.
Civilian officials taken into custody include Information Minister Hamza Baloul, governor of Sudan’s capital Khartoum, Ayman Khalid, Industry Minister Ibrahim al-Sheikh, media adviser to the prime minister, Faisal Mohammed Saleh, and the spokesman for Sudan’s ruling sovereign council, Mohammed al-Fiky Suliman.
Also, military forces stormed the Sudanese Radio and Television headquarters in Omdurman and arrested employees.
Sudan has been tense following the coup attempt last month, leaving a rift between the military and civilian groups meant to share power since the ousting of Omar Al-Bashir in 2019.
The military was meant to hand over leadership of the joint Sovereign Council to a civilian head in coming months but left details of the handover unclear with transitional authorities struggling on key issues including whether to move Al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
A Reuters witness said military and paramilitary forces have been deployed across the capital, Khartoum, restricting civilians' movement as some protesters carrying the national flag took to the streets, while others burnt tires in parts of the city.
Khartoum airport has been shut and international flights suspended, while internet and telecommunication access in Sudan has been disrupted.
Meanwhile, the head of Sudan's sovereign council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is expected to make a statement over Monday's developments.
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