2 yıl önce

Sudan military general: PM Hamdok at my home, not in prison

"The decision to oust the government of Prime Minister Hamdok was taken in order to avoid a civil war," Sudan's ruling general Abdel Fattah al Burhan said.

AP

Sudan's top general Burhan raised the possibility that some of those being held could face trial, for what he called incitement against the military.

Sudan's ruling general has said the country's ousted Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok is being detained for his own safety at the general’s own house, not in a prison.

General Abdel Fattah al Burhan told a news conference on Tuesday that the military stepped in after talks with Hamdok and the protest movement to resolve a dispute over the country's course reached deadlock.

Burhan said the the decision to oust the government of Hamdok was taken in order to avoid civil war, accusing political forces of incitement against the armed forces.

"Yes, we arrested ministers and politicians, but not all" of them, said Burhan, adding that Hamdok was "in good health" and would "return home when the crisis is over".

Burhan said the detainees who have a criminal charge will be held, all others will be allowed to participate in politics but the incoming government will have no typical politicians.

He also raised the possibility that some of those being held could face trial, for what he called incitement against the military.

Military takeover

On Monday, Burhan dissolved the Hamdok government and the Sovereign Council, a joint military and civilian body created soon after Bashir’s ouster to run the country.

He now heads a military council that he said would rule Sudan until elections in July 2023.

Burhan blamed quarrels and divisions among political factions for the military takeover.

However, the coup comes less than a month before Burhan was supposed to hand the leadership of the Sovereign Council to a civilian, a step that would have decreased the military’s hold on power.

In recent weeks, he repeatedly indicated he might not go through with that.

The general said he is serious about holding elections on schedule.

But much could happen in the coming 19 months, and it is not clear if the military will be willing to release the grip it has had for decades.

Pro-democracy protesters continued to block roads in Sudan's capital with makeshift barricades and burning tires on Tuesday, a day after the military seized power in a swift coup widely denounced by the international community.