September 2021 Sudanese coup d'état attempt | |||||||
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Part of the 2019–2026 Sudanese transition to democracy | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
![]() | Omar al-Bashir loyalists (alleged) | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Abdalla Hamdok | Unknown | ||||||
Location within Sudan |
On 21 September 2021, officers failed in a coup attempt against the Sovereignty Council of Sudan. [1] [2]
According to media reports, at least 40 officers were arrested at dawn on Tuesday 21 September 2021. A government spokesman said they included "remnants of the defunct regime", [3] referring to former officials of President Omar al-Bashir's government, and members of the country's armoured corps. [4]
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok revealed during a speech that the coup attempt was largely organized by loyalists of the ousted leader Omar al-Bashir. He added that the perpetrators involved in the failed coup were not only from the military but also outside the military as well. [5] [6] According to some Sudanese officials, soldiers attempted to take over a state media building in Omdurman, but they were subsequently prevented and apprehended. [7] There were reports of gunfire close to a military base housing a tank division in Omdurman during the early hours of the incident, according to the BBC. [1] Security forces reportedly shut down the main bridge connecting the capital Khartoum to Omdurman. [8]
Dozens of troops who participated in the attempted coup d’état were apprehended. They were all believed to be loyalists of al-Bashir, according to Sudan's information minister Hamza Balul. [9] Meanwhile, search and investigations were still ongoing for other perpetrators. [10]
Following the coup attempt, protesters gathered in Khartoum to denounce the coup, which they believe would be an obstacle to securing peace in the country. [11] The Sudanese army managed to take over control of the areas that the culprits attempted to capture, according to Al Jazeera. [2]
Another coup was launched by military forces on October 24, 2021, which resulted in the arrests of at least five senior Sudanese government figures. Widespread Internet outages were also reported. [12]
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticized the coup attempt and urged all parties to stay focused on the transition, in order to secure political stability. [13]