Sudan’s military attempted a coup overnight, leading to the arrest of senior politicians and the declaring of a state of emergency, accompanied by thousands of protesters in the capital Khartoum opposing the action - reportedly receiving gunfire. The prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, was among the politicians detained.
Hamdok himself was granted power following a coup in 2019. After a transfer of power from the Transitional Military Council to the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, the Sovereignty Council appointed him as prime minister for a transitional period leading up to the next general election which was planned for late 2022.
As research from the Center for Systemic Peace (CSP) and Statista shows, this week's still unfolding events make for the 35th coup d'état (including plots) in Sudan's history, with the 34th a failed attempt from September this year. At the time of writing only five have been successful, but this most recent entry to the long list could still turn into number six.
