2021 Sudanese coup d'état

2021 Sudanese coup d'état. The 2021 Sudanese coup d'état was a military takeover led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, on 25 October 2021. The coup dissolved the power-sharing Transitional government established after the 2018–19 Sudanese protests and the 2019 Sudanese coup d'état, which had ousted long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir. It triggered widespread civil disobedience, international condemnation, and plunged the country into a prolonged political crisis that contributed to the outbreak of the War in Sudan (2023–present).

Background

The coup unfolded within a fragile political framework established by the 2019 Sudanese transition to democracy. This period followed the Fall of Omar al-Bashir and was governed by the Constitutional Declaration of 2019, which created a Sovereignty Council of Sudan shared between military and civilian leaders. Key civilian factions included the Forces of Freedom and Change and the Sudanese Professionals Association. Tensions escalated due to disputes over International Criminal Court accountability for Darfur crimes, economic reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund, and the integration of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces into the regular army. A failed September 2021 Sudanese coup attempt further heightened instability, revealing deep rifts between the Military of Sudan and the civilian Cabinet of Sudan led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

Events of the coup

In the early hours of 25 October, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ordered the detention of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and several senior officials from the Forces of Freedom and Change, including Khalid Omer Yousif. The Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces troops seized control of key sites in Khartoum, including the Republican Palace (Sudan), the Sudanese Radio and Television Corporation, and major bridges over the Nile. Internet and telecommunication services were severely disrupted. Al-Burhan appeared on Sudanese Television to announce the dissolution of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan and the Cabinet of Sudan, declaring a state of emergency and suspending articles of the Constitutional Declaration of 2019. The African Union and the United Nations were swiftly informed of the military's actions.

Aftermath and reactions

Immediately following the takeover, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors reported violent clashes as protesters took to the streets of Khartoum, Omdurman, and Port Sudan in defiance of the new military authority. Security forces, including the Rapid Support Forces, responded with live ammunition, leading to numerous casualties. The Sudanese Professionals Association and Resistance Committees called for nationwide civil disobedience and general strikes, which paralyzed the economy. Political figures like Aisha Musa el-Said and Mohamed al-Faki Suleiman publicly denounced the coup, while the detained Abdalla Hamdok was held under house arrest. The crisis effectively halted Sudan's fragile Sudanese transition to democracy.

International response

The international community reacted with swift condemnation. The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting, and the African Union suspended Sudan's membership. The United States and the European Union suspended hundreds of millions in financial assistance, including critical funds from the World Bank. Key regional actors were divided; while the Arab League called for dialogue, the Tripartite Mechanism involving the UN, the AU, and IGAD demanded the immediate restoration of the civilian-led government. Neighboring Egypt and Saudi Arabia urged stability but stopped short of condemning the military leadership, reflecting complex geopolitical interests in the Red Sea region.

Transitional government dissolution

The coup formally terminated the transitional institutions outlined in the Constitutional Declaration of 2019. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan reinstated himself as head of a new Sovereignty Council of Sudan, now dominated by military figures and allies, and appointed a new Cabinet of Sudan. In November, under intense international pressure, a deal was struck to reinstate Abdalla Hamdok as Prime Minister, but his cabinet remained sidelined by the military, and popular protests rejected the agreement as illegitimate. This political vacuum and the consolidation of power by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo set the stage for the violent power struggle that erupted into the War in Sudan (2023–present).

Category:2021 in Sudan Category:Coups d'état in Sudan Category:October 2021 events in Africa