A COUP attempt in Sudan failed early on Tuesday as dozens were arrested. This is the fourth attempt to overthrow the civilian-military Sovereign Council and the interim cabinet that have ruled Sudan since president Omar Al-Bashir’s ouster in 2019.

The attempted coup was planned by people inside and outside the military establishment, leading to those arrests, Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok said in a televised statement.

Following the dismantling of the Bashir regime, the current administration — involving the military, civilian representatives and protest groups — was established as part of power-sharing agreement.

Due to present tensions, earlier reports from the capital Khartoum and nearby Omdurman described intense military activity, and the main bridge across the River Nile was shut. The road to Khartoum and ports have also been blocked. The Sudanese government says the situation in the country is now “under control”.   

*A version of this article appears in print in the 23 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly