International leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States have expressed their desire to have civilian rule back in Sudan after a military coup put the country into chaos, threatening the region's ties with Israel.
Previously, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, two Arab states that had close ties with Sudan's ruling military, previously prioritized stability in the region. In a joint statement released on Wednesday released by the U.S. Department of State, the four nations said they were calling for the full and immediate restoration of Sudan's civilian-led transitional government and institutions.
Sudan's Military Coup
The letter added that international leaders were encouraging the military responsible for the coup to release all of the detained individuals related to recent events and to have the state of emergency in the region lifted. They noted that violence was not welcome in the new Sudan, instead urging for effective dialogue between all parties involved.
The United States government has led the condemnation of the Sudan military's recent takeover of the region that occurred on Oct. 25. The events resulted in the interruption of a fragile transition to democracy, in which power was shared with a civilian government that Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok led, Aljazeera reported.
The situation comes as an Israeli delegation reportedly visited Sudan in recent days, talking to military leaders that were responsible for the coup in the region. The visit allegedly aimed to gain a better impression of the volatile situation in the African country and how recent events could impact efforts to finalize an agreement to normalize diplomatic ties between the two nations.
The Israeli delegation, which most likely included representatives from the Mossad spy agency, met with a prominent general in the Rapid Support Forces, Abdel Rahim Hamdan Dagalo. The group is a Sudanese paramilitary force that was involved in the coup.
Several weeks prior to the military coup, Dagalo was part of a Sudanese military delegation that traveled to Israel, where they met with members of the National Security Council and other officials from the Prime Minister's Office, the Times of Israel reported.
Effects of the Military Government
The military coup in Sudan was led by incumbent President Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is also the head of the civilian-military Sovereign Council that was formed to oversee the transition of democratic elections. Hamdok was later placed under house arrest, along with Foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi and several other top administration officials.
Military forces quickly spread throughout the region's capital, Khartoum, and placed roadblocks surrounding the area. In the ensuing riot, it was reported that at least seven protesters were killed in the chaos and roughly 140 were left injured while many others were arrested and detained.
The coup also resulted in the temporary shut down of the region's internet services with Burhan issuing a series of proclamations, including the dissolution of the government and the establishment of a new government of technocrats. The official also announced in an address that it would remain in control of the nation's government until elections in 2023, the Jerusalem Post reported.
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