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]
Event
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]
Arrests
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]
Aftermath
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]
International reactions
The UN Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres criticized the coup attempt and urged all parties to stay focused on the transition, in order to secure political stability.[13]