Sudan’s top general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Tuesday revealed that he was keeping ousted Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok at his own house.

He told a news conference in Khartoum on Tuesday that Hamdok was safe, in good health and kept away “for his own safety”. He added that the politician would be released “today or tomorrow”.

The announcement comes a day after the army detained Hamdok and some civilian leaders.

“Yes, we arrested ministers and politicians, but not all” of, al-Burhan said, in his second public appearance since seizing power.

Al-Burhan said the military was forced to step in to resolve a growing political crisis that he alleged could have led to civil war.

But the coup came less than a month before al-Burhan was supposed to hand the leadership of the Sovereign Council that runs the country to a civilian – a step that would have decreased the military’s hold on power.

“The whole country was deadlocked due to political rivalries,” he told the televised news conference.

“The experience during the past two years has proven that the participation of political forces in the transitional period is flawed and stirs up strife.”

Allegations

Of the slew of senior government officials detained in Monday’s coup, some tried to incite a rebellion within the armed forces, al-Burhan alleged, saying they would face trial. Others who are found “innocent” would be freed, he said.

But shortly after al-Burhan spoke, Hamdok’s office issued a statement, voicing concerns about the safety of the premier and other detained officials. It did not say where the politician was being held.

The statement accused the military leaders of acting in concert with Islamists, who have argued for a military government, and other politicians linked to al-Bashir’s National Congress Party, which was dissolved in 2019.

Al-Burhan continued pledging commitment to the transition to democracy saying “we will work together to build Sudan” even as he maintained that the takeover was necessary and “was part of our duty to stand with the Sudanese people”.

 According to Al-Arabiya, Lt Gen Al-Burhan said: “The armed forces made all concessions in order to realize the dreams of the Sudanese.”

He blamed the political parties for being polarised and deviating from the initial purpose of the transitional government.

“We affirmed our rejection of any party or party’s control over Sudan, and the political forces were the ones who refused to re-experience the “Swar al-Dhahab”, and that the mistrust between the transitional parties occurred after the signing of the peace agreement in Juba,’’ he was quoted by Al-Arabiya saying, adding he “fully supported Dr Hamdok’s initiative.’’

According to Al-Burhan, the power shift orchestrated on Monday was not a coup and the military government is on top of the game as far as managing affairs of Sudan are concerned. He also alleviated fears of the international community by saying: “We pledged to the international community that we will protect the transition process in Sudan, and the current emergency law is not intended to restrict freedoms, the Internet and telephone service will gradually return, and we will cancel the emergency law after the restructuring of state institutions, and” the next government will be a government of competencies, in which forces will not participate.’’

Concerns raised

A statement from the information ministry on Tuesday appealed for “liberation of everyone” arrested on Monday with Hamdok. This included his wife, several of his ministers, and civilian members of the council that was in charge of the country’s transition to full civilian rule.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also called on Tuesday for the prime minister to be “released immediately” as the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on the putsch in Sudan.

The arrests on Monday prompted thousands of people to take to the streets in the capital, Khartoum, to demand the release of the political leaders amid reports of clashes and gunfire.

Soldiers were stationed on the streets of Khartoum and restricted civilians’ movements, as protesters opposed to the military takeover carried the national flag and burned tyres across the city.

The takeover came after weeks of mounting tensions between military and civilian leaders over the course and the pace of Sudan’s transition to democracy.

It threatened to derail that process, which has progressed in fits and starts since the overthrow of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising two years ago.