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Soldiers arrested most of the members of Sudan’s cabinet on Monday in what the information ministry called a military coup, prompting opponents of the takeover to take to the streets, where there were reports of gunfire and injuries in clashes.
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was detained and moved to an undisclosed location after refusing to issue a statement in support of the coup, said the information ministry, still apparently under the control of Hamdok’s supporters.
It said tens of thousands of people opposed to the coup had taken to the streets and had faced gunfire near the military’s headquarters in the capital Khartoum.
There was no immediate comment from the military. Sudan’s state television said Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the military officer who heads a power-sharing ruling council, would deliver a statement shortly.
The director of Hamdok’s office, Adam Hereika, told Dubai-based al-Arabiya TV that the military had mounted its takeover despite an agreement Hamdok had reached with Burhan, in the presence of a visiting U.S. special envoy, Jeffrey Feltman.
Hereika accused the military of fomenting unrest in eastern Sudan and using the crisis to implement a coup.
Sources in Khartoum saw joint forces from the military and from the powerful, paramilitary Rapid Support Forces stationed in the streets of Khartoum.
Restricting civilians’ movements, as protesters carrying the national flag burnt tires in different parts of the city.
Protesters opposing the army takeover moved past barricades and entered the street surrounding military headquarters in Khartoum, footage on the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera Mubasher television channel showed.
The footage also showed soldiers standing by as protesters passed them and marched down the street. Citing witnesses, Al-Arabiya television said there were injuries in clashes in front of army headquarters.
Sudan has been on edge since a failed coup plot last month unleashed recriminations between military and civilian groups, who have been sharing power following the toppling of long-serving ruler Omar al-Bashir two years ago.
The political transition, which was agreed after Bashir was brought down by street protests, has seen Sudan emerge from international isolation under Bashir’s nearly three-decade rule. Elections were to be held by the end of 2023.
The information ministry said military forces had arrested civilian members of the Sovereign Council and members of the government.
In a statement sent to Reuters, the ministry asked Sudanese “to block the military’s movements to block the democratic transition”.
“We raise our voices loudly to reject this coup attempt,” it said.
