(Bloomberg) — Sudan’s army put the prime minister under house arrest and detained a number of his colleagues, people familiar with the matter said, as activists urged protests against what they said was a military attempt to seize power.
Premier Abdalla Hamdok’s home was surrounded in early Monday’s events, the people said, asking not to be named as they weren’t authorized to speak to the media on the matter. Internet outages were reported in the capital, Khartoum.
Phone calls to military and government officials seeking comment didn’t connect.
Sudan is being ruled by a joint military-civilian government after long-time dictator Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in 2019. Recent weeks have seen tensions between the army and civilians near breaking point as the date nears for the military to cede leadership of the country’s sovereign council.
The Sudanese Professionals Association, an activist group that had a major role in 2019’s protests, said the move was an attempt to take power and called for supporters to take to the streets. Demonstrations were seen early Monday in the south of Khartoum and Omdurman, the twin city of the capital.
Read: U.S. Envoy to Visit Sudan as Risks Mount for Civilian Government
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