Sudan’s Deposed Prime Minister Returned Home Under ‘Heavy Security’

Sudan’s deposed prime minister and his wife were returned to their home and were placed under “heavy security” late Tuesday, though other government officials remain detained by the military and their locations are unknown. Abdallah Hamdok was arrested on Monday as part of a military coup.  Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced the dissolution of the transitional government and the joint civilian-military Sovereign Council, the country’s current ruling body, and declared a state of emergency for all of Sudan. Burhan was supposed to soon hand over the leadership of the council to a civilian leader. He had announced earlier on Tuesday that Hamdok was being held for his own safety; he also said that some of the detained senior government officials could face trial for allegedly trying to incite a rebellion in the military.  Meanwhile, the United States froze $700 million in direct assistance to Sudan’s transitional government in response to the coup. US officials have demanded that the military free the arrested cabinet members and restore the transitional government. Elections are scheduled to be held in 2023.  United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, during an emergency Security Council meeting Tuesday, called on the world powers to unite to stop the recent “epidemic of coups d’état.”