Sudan – On Monday, the Sudanese army seized control and dissolved the transitional government following PM Abdalla Hamdok’s arrest.
A state of emergency was declared in Sudan by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan; he stated that disputes among political groups provoked the military to intercede, yet he vowed to finish the nation’s democratic transition, saying another technocrat government would lead Sudan to polls.
Following the arrest of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other senior executives, thousands of protestors came out on the streets of Khartoum and Omdurman. Protestors set fire and blocked roads which compelled security forces to utilize tear gas.
A military coup would bring a major setback for the future of Sudan, which has wrestled with an unpredictable transition to democracy since long-term autocrat Omar al-Bashir was overthrown by mass demonstrations in 2019.
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A declining economic crisis that plunged the currency rate and generated frequent shortages of fuel and bread triggered Bashir’s downfall.
One point of tension since late 2020, friction in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has forced thousands of refugees into eastern Sudan, causing military tensions in disputed farmlands along the border.
The U.S. diplomat to the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman, stated that Washington was “profoundly alarmed” by the reports. Feltman met with Sudanese authorities over the end of the week to resolve the developing debate among military leaders and civilians.
Joseph Borrell, the E.U foreign affairs chief, tweeted that he’s observing the events with the most profound concern.”
Antonio Guterres, U.N. Secretary-General, “firmly denounces the continuous military coup in Khartoum and all activities that could imperil Sudan’s political stability and progress,” stated his representative, Stéphane Dujarric.
