Sudan coup: Burhan reportedly informed US official before military takeover

Sudan's ruling General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan reportedly told a visiting US official that the military may make a move the day before he launched a coup against Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's government.

Burhan was speaking with Jeffrey Feltman, Washington's Horn of Africa representative, in Khartoum, Axios reported.

The military takeover occurred on Monday within hours of Feltman leaving the Sudanese capital. Feltman had been taking part in talks to ease tension between Sudan's military and civilian leadership.

Sudan's ruling Sovereignty Council included both military and civilians and was dissolved by Burhan after the coup. Top civilian officials, such as Prime Minister Hamdok, were detained.

Burhan reportedly informed Feltman privately on Sunday that moves might be made by sections of the military against the country's civilian authorities.

The US official reportedly responded that Washington would strongly oppose this and halt humanitarian assistance to Khartoum.

The United States, a key backer of #Sudan's transition process, strongly condemned the military coup and suspended millions of dollars in aid.https://t.co/dcxqMenDM0

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) October 26, 2021

Following the coup, the US did indeed freeze $700 million in assistance it pledged to Khartoum after it agreed to normalise ties with Israel in 2020.

It is as yet unknown if Feltman is to travel back to Sudan, though he had not returned to the US at the time of Axios' reporting.

Burhan appeared on television on Monday, saying that Sudan will now be "run by an independent technocratic government" and promising elections will occur in July 2023.

On Tuesday, he added that Hamdok was in good health and would be released when it was safe for him to be so.

Following a 2019 revolution against longtime dictator Omar Al-Bashir, Sudan was in the process of transitioning to democracy under the authority of the Sovereignty Council and Hamdok's government.

However, tensions have recently developed between Hamdok and Burhan, culminating in Monday's coup.