Sudan's Authorities Confirm Reports Of Detention Of 4 Ministers By Military

Sudan's ministry of culture and information confirmed on Monday media reports on the detention of several civilian ministers by the military, adding that it is unaware of their whereabouts

CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th October, 2021) Sudan's ministry of culture and information confirmed on Monday media reports on the detention of several civilian ministers by the military, adding that it is unaware of their whereabouts.

"The combined detachments detained several civilian members of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan and ministers of the transitional government and took them to an unknown destination," the ministry wrote on Facebook.

Earlier in the day, media reported that Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was placed under house arrest by unknown military forces, while four cabinet ministers and one civilian representative of the Sovereign Council were arrested.

The capital of Khartoum reported disruptions in internet and phone services following protests against an attempted military takeover.

The military also blocked the Shambat Bridge across the Nile river connecting Khartoum and the city of Omdurman, Sputnik correspondent reported.

No one is allowed to enter the city.

The term of the eleven-member transitional Sovereignty Council of Sudan expires next month. After that, the council is set to transfer power to a civilian government.

In April 2019, the country witnessed a military coup prompted by rallies over a deep economic crisis and subsequent decline in living standards. Former Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir was overthrown by the army and later imprisoned.

Later that year, the head of the transitional military council of Sudan, al-Burhan, took office as head of the country's Sovereignty Council, which promised to hand over power to the civilian authorities after a transitional period.