RIYADH/KHARTOUM/CAIRO: Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the head of the Sovereign Council, on Monday declared a state of emergency in Sudan and announced the dissolution of the Sovereign Council and the transitional government following a military coup.

In a televised address, Burhan said the ongoing struggle between the transition partners was threatening the country’s safety and security and that the military needed to step in to protect it.

The military will continue with the democratic transition until the handover to a civilian-elected government once elections are held in July 2023, Burhan said.

Several people were earlier reported injured during clashes outside the Sudanese army headquarters after large crowds took to the streets on Monday to protest against a military coup deposing the government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

The coup comes despite an earlier agreement Hamdok reached with the head of the country’s ruling council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, in the presence of US special envoy Jeffrey Feltman, Adam Harik told the Dubai-based channel.

Sudan’s information ministry said joint military forces detained civilian members of the country’s ruling body and a number of ministers within the transitional government.

“Civilian members of the transitional sovereign council and a number of ministers from the transitional government have been detained by joint military forces,” the ministry said in a statement on Facebook. “They have been led to an unidentified location.”

The military action has also sparked international concern, the Arab League warned against any measures that might shake stability in Sudan, TV news channel Al-Arabiya reported.

Sudan’s political leaders should be released and human rights respected, the African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said in a statement on Monday.

Faki also added talks should be resumed between the military and the civilian wing of the trasnsitional government.

The head of the PM’s office Harik said they knew the coup would take place six weeks ago.

“The military establishment does not want to fulfill its obligations to hand over power,” he told Al-Arabiya during his phone interview.

Feltman met with Sudanese military and civilian leaders Saturday and Sunday in efforts to resolve a growing dispute.

In a video shared on social media, what appears to be gunshots can be heard as protesters continued their demonstrations.

Sudan’s Stat News website highlighted the meetings with military officials.

International reaction

Calling for calm, Saudi Arabia said it was following developments in Sudan with concern and called for a de-escalation in the current troubles and restraint.

The statement from the Kingdom continued, calling for the political and economic gains in Sudan to be preserved, adding that it continued in its support for the Sudanese people to achieve security and stability.

Volker Perthes, the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Sudan said: “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. 

“I call on the security forces to immediately release those who have been unlawfully detained or placed under house arrest. It is the responsibility of these forces to ensure the security and wellbeing of people in their custody. 

“I urge all parties to exercise utmost restraint.  All parties must immediately return to dialogue and engage in good faith to restore the constitutional order.”

The British envoy to Sudan voiced Britain’s concern over the arrest of members of the government and the German foreign ministry called for an immediate end to the coup.

Meanwhile a UN official said they were also “deeply concerned” by the ongoing coup.

The US has expressed alarm at reports of a military takeover of the transitional government in Sudan.

On the official Twitter of the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, Feltman warned the military takeover would contravene Sudan’s Constitutional Declaration and puts at risk US assistance to the country.

“The US is deeply alarmed at reports of a military take-over of the transitional government,” Feltman said.

“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.

Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has been placed under house arrest and moved to an unidentified location with his wife.

Al Hadath TV earlier reported four cabinet ministers and a member of Sudan’s Sovereign Council  were among those arrested.

One of those arrested was Ali Al-Rayh Al-Sanhouri, secretary-general of the Sudanese Baath Party, Al-Sharq reported, quoting unnamed sources.

Multiple high profile arrests made

The report said Council of Sovereignty member Mohammed Al-Jawki was also under arrest, along with Minister of Cabinet Affairs Khaled Omar Yusuf.

Men in military uniform cut off the main roads leading to the capital, and state television was broadcasting patriotic songs.

There was no immediate comment from the military.

The Khartoum airport was shut and international flights were suspended, Al-Arabiya reported.

Thousands protest in #Sudan over military coup.#لا_للانقلاب_العسكري pic.twitter.com/aQ9reSxxQK

— Khudro Manush (@KhudroManush) October 25, 2021