Sudan's Sovereignty Council calls for unity after failed coup attempt

The head of Sudan's Sovereignty Council called for unity on Tuesday after a reported failed coup attempt by a group of soldiers.

General Abdel-Fattah Burhan made the plea during a visit to a military base in Khartoum.

"We will not hand over Sudan to an unknown party, we will not hand over Sudan to unknown forces. We want to hand over Sudan to national forces (or parties) that will care for its security, safety and unity as well as for its people, who we all now care about and look for to improve their condition. We still have hope that we all will eventually unite as civil and military forces to build the Sudan that our children dream of, the Sudan of real slogans, freedom, peace and true justice." General Burhan said in an impassioned speech.

Despite the attempted coup, the country's ruling council and military remain in control. It did however underscore the fragility of Sudan's path to democracy, more than two years after the military's overthrow of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir amid a public uprising against his three-decade rule.

A military official said an unspecified number of troops from the armoured corps were behind the attempt and that they tried to take over several government institutions but were stopped in their tracks.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to brief the media, said over three dozen troops, including high-ranking officers, have been arrested. 

Meanwhile some Sudanese citizens in Khartoum express their rejection to the attempted coup involving military officers and civilians linked to the ousted regime of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir

"Today we woke up to the sound of military music on the radio and on television. We were surprised by an action taken by a group of soldiers seeking to seize power. As a Sudanese citizen, I completely reject this path. We seek democracy and a democratic transformation, as the country is now in a state of stability." Al-Tayeb Abaidi, Sudanese citizen.

"Looking at the country's economic situation, the current collapse and the security chaos, seeing someone announce taking over the country in the name of a tribe while the government is not able to do anything, pushes the citizen to expect anything to happen." Abdel Hafez Al-Safi, Sudanese citizen