KHARTOUM • Soldiers arrested most of the members of Sudan's Cabinet yesterday and a military officer dissolved the transitional government, while opponents of the takeover took to the streets where gunfire and injuries were reported.

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who headed the Sovereign Council, a power-sharing ruling body, announced a state of emergency across the country and dissolved the council and transitional government.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was detained and moved to an undisclosed location after refusing to issue a statement in support of the coup, said the information ministry, still apparently under the control of Mr Hamdok's supporters.

The ministry, which called for resistance to the coup, said tens of thousands of people had taken to the streets and had faced gunfire near the military's headquarters in the capital Khartoum.

At least 12 people were injured in clashes, a doctors' committee said on its Facebook page, without giving details.

The director of Mr Hamdok's office, Mr Adam Hereika, said the military mounted its coup despite "positive movements" towards an agreement with Mr Hamdok, following meetings with a visiting US special envoy, Mr Jeffrey Feltman.

A Reuters journalist in Khartoum saw joint forces from the military and from the powerful, paramilitary Rapid Support Forces stationed in the streets. They restricted civilians' movements, as protesters carrying the national flag burnt tyres in different parts of the city.

The information ministry said military forces had arrested civilian members of the Sovereign Council and government officials. In a statement sent to Reuters, it called on Sudanese "to block the military's movements to block the democratic transition".

Sudan had been on edge since a failed coup plot last month unleashed recriminations between military and civilian groups, who have been sharing power after the toppling of ruler Omar al-Bashir two years ago.

Since then, a political transition has seen Sudan emerge from international isolation under Bashir's nearly three-decade rule. Elections were to be held by the end of 2023.

The military was meant to pass leadership of the joint Sovereign Council to a civilian figure in the coming months. But transitional authorities had struggled to move forward on issues including whether to hand Bashir over to the International Criminal Court, where he is wanted for war crimes.

REUTERS