UN Security Council holds emergency meeting on Sudan

Diplomats told IRNA on Monday evening local time that the emergency meeting would be held behind closed doors (in private) tomorrow evening, local time.
The United States, Britain, France, Ireland, Norway and Estonia have called for the summit.
Some news sources say UN Security Council members are visiting Mali and Niger, which are expected to return to New York on Tuesday morning local time, prompting an emergency Security Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday evening.

“I condemn the coup in Sudan,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was quoted as saying on Monday, according to IRNA. Hamdouk and other officials should be released immediately.
The UN Secretary-General added: “In order to protect the political transition, the Charter of the Constitution must be protected. The United Nations will continue to stand with the people of Sudan.

“I am deeply concerned about reports of coups and attempts to undermine political change in Sudan,” UN Special Representative for Sudan Volker Peretz said in a statement. Published reports of the arrest of the Prime Minister, government officials and politicians in Sudan are unacceptable.
He added: “I call on the security forces to immediately release those who have been illegally detained or placed under house arrest.” The responsibility of these forces is to ensure the security and well-being of the detainees.
“I urge all parties to exercise the utmost restraint,” said the UN envoy to Sudan. All parties must return to dialogue immediately and act in good faith to restore constitutional order.
The United States on Monday condemned the Sudanese military’s move, saying any forced change in the Sudanese People’s Transitional Government would jeopardize bilateral relations with the United States, and that the United States would cut off $ 700 million in economic aid to Sudan.

According to IRNA, news agencies and television channels reported that a group of soldiers attacked the residence of Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdouk and placed him under house arrest. According to Al-Jazeera, the identities of these military personnel are unknown.
There have also been reports of the arrest of four government ministers and a press adviser to the Sudanese prime minister. Informed sources have accused unidentified militants of plotting a coup against the transitional government.

Omar al-Bashir has ruled Sudan since 1989, when he was ousted on April 11, 2019, following a demonstration in Khartoum and several other provinces in protest of rising prices and poor living conditions. The country was taken over by Abdullah Hamdouk, who heads the interim government.
Sudan’s transitional government took office in August 2019, and the transfer of power from the military to civilians was to take 39 months, during which time power would be divided between the army and the Al-Hurriya and Al-Taghir coalition.