Coup in Sudan, state of emergency declared

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok has been placed under house arrest. On Monday (October 25), local time, unidentified military members first surrounded his home. In addition to the prime minister, several ministers have been arrested, including his media adviser and a member of the country’s ruling sovereign council.

In the wake of this, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the country’s ruling council and army officer, declared a state of emergency. At the same time, he dissolved the Interim Sovereign Council and the government.

Meanwhile, ordinary people took to the streets to protest the house arrest of the Prime Minister. They protested by burning tires on the road. On the other hand, the United States has expressed deep concern over a possible military coup in Sudan.

People take to the streets of the capital, Khartoum, to protest the house arrest of Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok. The protesters also chanted anti-coup slogans. They blocked the road and set fire to tires.

Earlier, local Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok was placed under house arrest on Monday. Al Jazeera quoted Sudanese broadcaster Al Haddath saying that unidentified military members first surrounded his home. Rumours of an army coup spread in the country soon after the Prime Minister was placed under house arrest. In a post on the Facebook page of the country’s information ministry, Prime Minister Hamdok called on the country’s people to stop the coup through peaceful protests.

Reuters also reported that Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok had been placed under house arrest and that his media adviser and four government ministers had been arrested. Meanwhile, the United States has expressed deep concern over the detention of civilians, including the Prime Minister. The Biden administration called it an attack on democracy, calling it unacceptable.

Meanwhile, internet service has been shut down in the capital Khartoum. The Sudanese Ministry of Information has also confirmed that the army has carried out raids on state media. Besides, troops have been deployed at important places. All entrances to the capital have also been closed.

After the ouster of former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, the military shared power with the civilian administration. Sudan has been based on that agreement for the past two years. Troops loyal to ousted President Bashir staged a coup last September but failed. After that incident, the military and civilian parts of the country were divided. There was a crisis of confidence between the two sides.