Sudan coup: Military dissolves government, declares emergency

Sudanese army General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Monday announced that the country's transitional government had been dissolved, and declared a national state of emergency.

He made the announcements in a televised address just hours after the first reports emerged of a coup in the crisis-hit East African nation.

The Information Ministry had said earlier that Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok had been taken to an unknown location. He had apparently refused to issue a statement of support for the coup and instead called for street protests.

Other members of the government are also said to have been detained, according to broadcaster Al-Hadath and the Sudan Tribune news website.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of the capital Khartoum to protest against the military takeover, a DPA correspondent at the scene reported.

Regular gunfire was heard in the capital, and barricades were set on fire.
Sudan was ruled by former president Omar al-Bashir for almost 30 years. The long-time strongman was forced out of office in April 2019 after months of mass protests and a military coup.

The military and the civilian opposition then agreed on a joint transitional government to pave the way for elections.