Sudan military claims it foiled a coup attempt
Sudan’s ruling military council has said it has foiled an attempted coup aimed at blocking a power-sharing deal with opposition groups.
More than a dozen people – among them former and current army officers and members of the security services – were arrested, a military spokesman said.
Sudan has faced turmoil since President Omar al-Bashir was ousted in April.
Meanwhile, investigation reveals claims linking the military council to an attack on protesters.
Earlier in July, the military agreed to share power with a civilian opposition alliance. The agreement has yet to be signed, but it would see control over a governing sovereign council rotate between civilian and military rule for three years until elections can be held.
Previous talks between the demonstrators and the military collapsed in the wake of the 3 June massacre.
Pro-democracy demonstrators remained on the streets of Khartoum after the removal of President Bashir in April, occupying the square outside the military headquarters as negotiators tried to persuade the military council to hand power to civilians.
In early June, security forces moved on the protesters, firing live ammunition into the crowds to clear the square.
A health ministry official said 46 people died in the violence. But opposition groups said at least 100 people were killed by the RSF. Survivors said the paramilitary unit threw corpses in the river Nile after the massacre.
The RSF grew out of the Janjaweed militia which was accused of carrying out a genocide in the Darfur region of western Sudan.
General Mohamed Hamdan “Hemeti” Dagolo, the vice-president of the military council and leader of the RSF, denied any responsibility for the deaths. He blamed rogue elements for the violence, saying impostors wearing RSF uniforms had been arrested before the massacre took place.
But two men who say they are currently serving RSF officers – and admitted taking part in the 3 June violence – told the BBC that orders came from the top.
One source said General Hemeti himself gave them the instructions to clear the sit-in. “He told us to clear it and that’s what we did. We carry out any orders that the commander gives,” the source said.
-BBC