Early on Monday, the Sudanese military arrested the country’s prime minister and members of the civilian government, according to a statement by officials in the capital Khartoum.
The official account of the Sudanese Ministry of Culture and Information stated that a military force arrested Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok following his refusal to support what it described as a “coup”.
Initial information by anonymous sources confirmed that Hamdok was placed under house arrest, as forces surrounded the prime minister’s residence. However, the latest aforementioned statement said he was later moved to an unknown location.
According to local media outlets, Industry Minister Ibrahim al-Sheikh and Information Minister Hamza Balloul are among the arrested ministers.
The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) has called for protests against what it described as a “military coup against the civilian government.” Subsequently, eyewitness reports have said that people have taken to the streets in protest.
In a press release, political parties in the country urged people to resist attempts by the army to seize power.
Deep tensions between the military and civilian administration erupted in Sudan after a failed military coup last month.
Three days prior to today’s events, thousands of pro-military supporters organized a protest against Hamdok’s transitional government in Khartoum, which came as thousands of pro-civilian government supporters held protests across the country the day before, further escalating political tensions between the civilian administration and the army.
