October 25, (THEWILL) – A military coup took place in Sudan on Monday morning and the country’s Prime minister Mohamed Hamdock has been placed under house arrest.
Sudanese officials said military forces detained at least five senior government officials on Monday, including a number of ministers.
The officials said the detained include Industry Minister Ibrahim al-Sheikh; Information Minister Hamza Baloul; Mohammed al-Fiky Suliman of the ruling Sovereign Council; and Faisal Mohammed Saleh, a media adviser to Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
The arrests come after weeks of rising tensions between Sudan’s civilian and military leaders. A failed coup attempt in September fractured the country along old lines, pitting more conservative Islamists who want a military government against those who toppled autocratic former ruler Omar al-Bashir in mass protests.
The whereabouts of Hamdok were not immediately clear, amid media reports that security forces were stationed outside his home in Khartoum. Photos circulating online showed men in uniform standing in the dark, allegedly near his home.
NetBlocks, a group that tracks disruptions across the internet, said Monday it had seen a “significant disruption” to both fixed-line and mobile internet connections across Sudan with multiple providers.
“Metrics corroborate user reports of network disruptions appearing consistent with an internet shutdown,” the advocacy group said. “The disruption is likely to limit the free flow of information online and news coverage of incidents on the ground.”
The association called on people to take to the street to counter the apparent coup.
About the Author
