Iran Press/Africa: Abdel Fattah al-Burhan told a news conference in Khartoum on Tuesday that Abdalla 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 whereabouts of Hamdok, who had headed a transitional government with al-Burhan since August 2019, were initially unclear after the military detained Hamdok and some civilian leaders on Monday.
“The prime minister was in his house. However, we were afraid that he’d be in danger so he has been placed with me at my home,” the general 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.
Sudan has been on edge since a failed coup plot last month unleashed bitter recriminations between military and civilian groups meant to be sharing power following the 2019 ouster of former Leader Omar al-Bashir. Bashir was toppled and jailed after months of street protests.
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