Sudan PM, ministers detained in apparent military coup: Sources  

Khartoum: In a fragile transition towards democracy into disarray, security forces in Sudan has arrested several members of country's cabinet and a large number of pro-government party leaders on Monday (October 25) in an apparent military coup, political sources said.

Sources citing unidentified sources said that Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok had been placed under house arrest and military forces arrested four cabinet ministers, one civilian member of the ruling Sovereign Council, and several state governors and party leaders.

There was no immediate comment from the military.

The information ministry said "joint military forces" had arrested civilian members of the Sovereign Council and members of the government and had taken them to an undisclosed location.

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 has seen Sudan emerge from its isolation under three decades of rule by Bashir and was meant to lead to elections by the end of 2023. .

U.S. Special Envoy Jeffrey Feltman said the United States was deeply alarmed 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 that a military takeover would contravene Sudan's Constitutional Declaration and puts at risk U.S. assistance.

The Reuters witness said military and paramilitary forces deployed across the capital, Khartoum, restricting civilians' movements, as protesters carrying the national flag burnt tires in different parts of the city.

The information ministry said on its Facebook page that a number of ministers and civilian members of the ruling Sovereign Council were arrested.

Khartoum airport was shut and international flights were suspended, according to Dubai-based al-Arabiya TV channel.

Last week, tens of thousands of Sudanese marched in several cities to back the full transfer of power to civilians, and to counter a rival days-long sit-in outside the presidential palace in Khartoum demanding a return to “military rule”.

COURTESY: REUTERS