Sudan’s Burhan declares state of emergency, dissolves government
Tension mounts in Sudan after Sovereign Council Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced formation of a new government and announced a state of emergency across the country and the dissolution of the transitional authorities.
Soldiers arrested most of the members of Sudan’s cabinet today and the military chief dissolved the transitional government, while opponents of the takeover took to the streets where gunfire and injuries were reported.
According to Fattah al-Burhan, the military needed to protect the country’s safety and security and the council had been dissolved.
“We guarantee the armed forces’ commitment to completing the democratic transition until we hand over to a civilian elected government,” he added, setting elections for July 2023.
“What the country is going through now is a real threat and danger to the dreams of the youth, and the hopes of the nation to build a nation whose features are starting to emerge.”
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was detained and moved to an undisclosed location after refusing to issue a statement in support of the takeover, said the information ministry, still apparently under the control of Hamdok’s supporters.
The ministry called Burhan’s announcement a “military coup” and called for resistance. It said tens of thousands of people opposed to the takeover had taken to the streets and had faced gunfire near the military’s headquarters in Khartoum.
At least 12 people were injured in clashes, a doctors’ committee said on its Facebook page, without providing further details.
In Khartoum’s twin city Omdurman, young protesters barricaded streets and chanted in support of civilian rule, though blockages of phone and internet networks appeared to limit their ability to coordinate large gatherings.
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 2019 ouster of former leader Omar al-Bashir.
Bashir was toppled and jailed after months of street protests. A political transition agreed after his ouster was meant to lead to elections by the end of 2023.
Source; Reuters
