The reason for the removal of Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamduk from his residence was threats of attack on him, the country’s military leader, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burkhan, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
RIA Novosti was the first media outlet to be able to speak with the military leader of Sudan after the recent events in the country related to the detention of officials and the dissolution of the government.
The Sudanese military on Monday morning detained Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok and several other members of the government. The head of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan, Abdel Fattah al-Burkhan, announced in a televised address to the nation the declaration of a state of emergency and the dissolution of the country’s government. On Tuesday, it became known that Hamdok and his wife returned to their capital residence.
“We had information that an attack could have been carried out in the first moments of the popular movement, so we decided to detain him away (from threats – ed.). Indeed, several groups began to gather at his house when he was there, but when we felt that some actions were beginning, we took him away from home, now he returned to his home”, said al-Burkhan.
In April 2019, Sudan suffered a military coup prompted by popular protests amid a deep economic crisis and declining living standards. President Omar al-Bashir, who ruled for 30 years, was removed from power and later imprisoned.
In September 2021, the Sudanese authorities announced that they had prevented an attempted military coup in the country. According to a statement from the command of the armed forces, most of the participants in the coup attempt were detained, including 21 officers and a number of soldiers. Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamduk said at the time that the coup attempt indicated the need for reforms in the army and security agencies. The Sudanese authorities have named supporters of ex-President Omar al-Bashir as organizers of the rebellion.