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Sudanese security forces detain 12 officers in wake of failed coup

12 July 2019 07:18 (UTC +04:00)

The Sudanese security forces have detained 12 officers suspected of having a role in the recent failed military coup, Jamal Omar Ibrahim, the head of the Transitional Military Council's (TMC) security committee, said in a statement on Friday, ONA reports quoting sputniknews.

Late on Thursday, the TMC said that it had thwarted a coup attempt.

"Tonight, 12 officers have been detained. Seven of them are members of the army and five people have retired, while three are the aides to officers. Further detentions are coming, particularly [the detention] of the organizer of this failed coup. They have tried to carry out a military overthrow in order to thwart the conclusion of a deal between the military council and the [opposition] Forces of Freedom and Change," Ibrahim said.

The security committee had begun questioning those detained who would be subject to a fair trial, Ibrahim added.

Mohamed El Hacen Lebatt, the AU envoy mediating the talks between the TMC and the opposition, has said that the joint committee, created as a result of the power-sharing deal, should have received a draft agreement on Sudan’s political system late on Thursday, but that did not happen due to some technical difficulties.

Last week, Lebatt announced that the TMC and the opposition had reached the agreement to set up a joint sovereignty council to govern the country for a transition period of three years. Military and civilian officials will take turns leading the council. The sides have also agreed to subsequently form a civilian government composed of technocrats. Moreover, they have also decided to hold a transparent probe into the violent crackdown on opposition protesters in early June.

In April, Sudan was rocked by a military coup that followed months of anti-government demonstrations. However, the protests continued, with the opposition calling for power to be transferred to a civilian-led government.

The situation further escalated in early June when law enforcement violently dispersed a sit-in demonstration near the military headquarters in Khartoum.