KHARTOUM - Sudan’s armed forces have overthrown and arrested President Omar al-Bashir after months of protests against his nearly 30-year rule.

In a statement on Thursday, General Awad Ibn Auf said Bashir was taken to a “safe place” after the “toppling of the regime” and also announced the formation of a military-led transitional government, which will rule for two years.

“The armed forces will take power with representation of the people to pave the way for Sudanese people to live in dignity,” said Ibn Auf, the country’s vice president and defence minister. He also declared a three-month state of emergency and the suspension of the 2005 constitution, as well the closure of Sudan’s airspace for 24 hours and of border crossings until further notice.

All of Sudan’s government’s institutions, including the national assembly and national council of ministers, have been dissolved, Ibn Auf added, assuring that Sudan would soon prepare for “free and fair” elections.

Ibn Auf’s announcement came against the backdrop of a sixth successive day of anti-government protests outside Sudan’s army headquarters in the capital, Khartoum.

Demonstrators have staged a mass sit-in outside the complex to call for the army to support their bid to see Bashir peacefully removed from power. The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which has been spearheading the protests, rejected Ibn Auf’s move as a “military coup”, however, and vowed to hold further demonstrations.

Protests against Bashir, who took power in 1989 and is wanted by the International Criminal Court, started in December over rising bread prices but quickly morphed into broader calls for him to step down. Critics accuse the 75-year-old of mismanaging Sudan’s economy, resulting in high food prices, regular fuel shortages and widespread cash shortages.

Representatives of the Girifna resistance movement, which has helped organise the anti-government protests, said it would continue to demonstrate against the government until its demands were met.

“We want a four-year transition period where technocrats take over the country to ready it for democracy. We want an army that will protect us rather than rule over us,” Hajouj Kouka, a member of Girifna, told Al Jazeera. “We [the demonstrators] are very specific and untied about this demand.”

The downfall of Bashir follows the toppling this month of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, also following mass protests after three decades in power.</s>Sudan’s president Omar al-Bashir has been removed from power by the country’s army, following months of protests that escalated at the weekend when demonstrators began a sit-in outside the defence ministry compound in central Khartoum.

In a statement, the Sudanese defence minster and army general Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf said Bashir, who has ruled for 30 years, had been arrested “in a safe place”. A military council will take control of the country for two years, after which elections would be held, the minister added.

“For a long time, examining what’s going on in the state and the corruption that is going on,” the minister said. “The poor are poorer and the rich are still rich and there are no equal chances for the same people.”

The military seized control of state television shortly after dawn on Thursday, amid unconfirmed reports that Bashir was under house arrest at his residence in the defence ministry compound. There were also reports that several senior figures close to Bashir in the ruling National Congress party had been detained.

Khartoum’s airport was also shut and increased deployments of armoured vehicles around the city were reported overnight.

The country, one of Africa’s biggest and most strategically important, has been paralysed by months of protests that erupted on 19 December in the eastern city of Atbara after a government decision to triple the price of bread, but quickly evolved into nationwide demonstrations against Bashir’s rule.

Shortly after dawn on Thursday Sudan state television had trailed “an important announcement”. “The armed forces will present an important statement shortly. Be ready for it,” state television read, without giving further details.

As anticipation built, state television and radio played patriotic music, reminding older Sudanese of how past military takeovers unfolded in the country, and images of recent protests. Protesters outside the defence ministry chanted: “It has fallen, we won.”

Despite a lack of concrete information about what was happening for much of the morning, tens of thousands of Sudanese marched through the centre of Khartoum in jubilation, dancing and chanting anti-Bashir slogans. “People are coming in droves,” said one onlooker. Protesters outside the defence ministry chanted: “It has fallen, we won.”

The Suna state news agency reported that the National Intelligence and Security Service was going to release of all political prisoners, and soldiers were seen raiding the headquarters of the Islamic movement led by Bashir.

Footage posted to social media showed people tearing down posters depicting the president in Khartoum.

Attempts by security forces to break up the Khartoum sit-in have killed at least 22 – including five soldiers, who organisers said were defending the protesters – and injured more than 150.

Some elements within the military had appeared to side with demonstrators against armed militia loyal to Bashir and the feared intelligence services. The army protected demonstrators and opposition leaders called for the military to step in to form a transitional government.

Earlier this week demonstrators were seen hoisting soldiers on their shoulders while others joyfully saluted soldiers in armoured vehicles.

In recent days there have been reports of senior police commanders and militia leaders pledging not to harm the protesters, suggesting support for Bashir’s continued rule was falling away.

“Sudanese always believe that transition should come through the military. All are mindful of what instability could cause. Any chaos could have a very high cost,” said Saif al Din Abdelrahman, a Sudanese economist and expert based in Kenya.

Bashir is a former paratrooper who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1989 and has managed his way through one internal crisis after another while withstanding attempts by the west to weaken him.

The 75-year-old faces genocide charges at the international criminal court relating to extensive human rights abuses perpetrated by Sudanese forces against civilians in Darfur, the western region gripped by conflict since 2003 when rebels took up arms against the government, accusing it of discrimination and neglect. The UN says 300,000 people have died in the conflict and 2.7 million have fled their homes.

However, many other leaders and governments in Africa have defended Bashir.

In October 2017, the US eased sanctions against Sudan, citing improved humanitarian access, the mitigation of conflicts within the country and progress on counter-terrorism. Human rights organisations condemned the move.-The Guardian</s>In the African country, Sudan, the army has ousted the long-ruled president of the country. Sudan’s army has ousted and arrested President Omar al-Bashir on Thursday. Country’s defence Minister Awad Ibnouf confirmed this on state television

He informed that the President has been removed from power and detained by the army. He also said a three-month state of emergency was being put in place. Sudan’s constitution was being suspended, border crossings were being closed until further notice and airspace was being closed for 24 hours. Awad Ibn Ouf said the army had decided to oversee a two-year transitional period followed by elections.

Meanwhile, Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) service announced that it was freeing all the political detainees across the country.

Protests against Bashir, who has governed Sudan since 1989, have been underway for several months.

Bashir is the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which accuses him of organising war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s western Darfur region.</s>
• On Thursday morning, the minister of production and economic resources in North Darfur Adel Mahjoub Hussein told the Dubai-based al-Hadath TV that "President Bashir stepped down”.
• Local state television further announced that the army was set to make a ‘major announcement’ leading to celebrations on the streets.
• Sudan’s government is yet to make a formal announcement.

After being in power for 30 years, Sudan president Omar al-Bashir has bowed to public outcry and stepped down.

Sudan’s government is yet to make a formal announcement but government sources, provincial minister say the president has stepped down following months of street protests against his regime.

On Thursday morning, the minister of production and economic resources in North Darfur Adel Mahjoub Hussein told the Dubai-based al-Hadath TV that “there are consultations to form a military council to take over power after President Bashir stepped down”.

Local state television further announced that the army was set to make a ‘major announcement’ leading to celebrations on the streets and outside the palace in Khartoum which remains secured by the military.

Several international news outlets quoting reliable government sources reported that Bashir had stepped down, with reports indicating that a transitional council led by Lt. Gen. Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf will be in charge.

Tens of thousands of people have been maintaining a protest vigil outside military headquarters since Saturday, demanding the removal of the president.</s>The military forced out president Omar Al Bashir after three decades and announced its rule over the country

Thousands of Sudanese protesters rallied outside army headquarters late on Friday, despite a night-time curfew imposed by the military after it ousted president Omar Al Bashir following months of demonstrations.

Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan has been named the chief of the new military council after the resignation of Sudan’s Defence Minister, Gen Awad ibn Auf.

The army's Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Kamal Abdelmarouf, was also relieved of his position.

Stay with us throughout Saturday for the latest updates on the situation in Sudan.

• Mat Nashed: Protesters vow to push on in Khartoum

• Profile: Omar Al Bashir

• Iconic image: Sudan's 'Nubian Queen' protester

• SPA: how an illegal union became the biggest threat to Omar Al Bashir’s reign

Times: UTC+4

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04:25 Saudi Arabia announces Sudan aid package

Saudi Arabia said on Saturday it backed steps announced by Sudan's transitional military council and announced an aid package to Sudan that includes wheat, petroleum products, and medicine, Saudi state news agency (SPA) said.

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04:15 UAE welcomes appointment of new transitional military council chief

"The UAE is following with a great interest this defining moment in Sudan's modern history and reiterates full trust in the ability of the Sudanese people and their national army to survive the challenges in a way that ensures stability, prosperity and development for the nation," said a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

"The UAE reaffirms its support for the steps taken by Sudan's transitional military council to protect people and property, wishing these steps would ensure security and stability for the sisterly country."

The appointment of Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan as the new head of Sudan's transitional military council represented a "step forward reflecting the ambitions of the brotherly people of Sudan towards security, stability and development," the statement added.

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02:22 Sudanese Professionals Association calls for protests to continue

It said its key demands such as restructuring of the country's powerful National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), the dissolution of militia forces that operated under Bashir and the arrest of all "corrupt leaders" involved in what it called crimes against citizens had not been met.

"There are clear demands and unless they are met, there is no escape but to publicise full rejection (of the council's moves)," an SPA statement said,

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23:33 Gunshots outside defence ministry were celebratory

Gunfire that was heard outside the defence ministry in Khartoum on Saturday turned out to be celebratory, witnesses said according to Reuters.

Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were firing guns to celebrate the promotion of the head of the RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known by his nickname Hemeti, who was appointed deputy head of Sudan's transitional military council.

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22:25 RSF chief appointed deputy head of transitional council

State TV announces that Gen Mohammed Hamdan Daglo – also known by the nickname Hametti – has been appointed deputy head of the transitional military council.

Gen Daglo has built close links to the new head Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan since the pair worked together to coordinate Sudan’s deployment to the Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen.

The Rapid Support Forces is a paramilitary group that grew out of the Janjaweed militia, which operated in Darfur. The government had denied any wrongdoing by the RSF, despite international claims and the International Criminal Court indictments that say the Janjaweed carried out atrocities in Darfur.

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22:00 Cautious optimism in Khartoum

Basheer Alay, who is also participating in the sit-in, said that he is just relieved that Gen Ibn Auf is gone. In his eyes, Gen Ibn Auf was a central figure to Mr Al Bashir’s regime and his takeover risked sabotaging the uprising.

“I’m becoming more comfortable with the situation right now,” he said. “The quick fall of Ibn Auf was our first victory. Now Sudan is heading in the right direction and we can prepare for real change.”

Sudanese protestors and observers are cautiously optimistic about the future of Sudan now that Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan is heading the country’s transitional military council.

Lt Gen Al Burhan assumed leadership of the transitional council after Gen Awad Ibn Auf – Defense Minister, first vice president and an avowed Islamist – announced his resignation Friday night. The resignation came just one day after he took the helm from long-time President Omar Al Bashir. The news was widely celebrated by Sudanese protestors.

In his first televised speech on Saturday, Lt Gen Al Burhan – the third most senior army general under Mr Al Bashir’s regime – said that the military imposed curfew established the day before would be lifted. He also promised to 'uproot' Mr Al Bashir's regime and release all prisoners that were jailed during the state of emergency, which Al Bashir imposed to deter a popular revolt that eventually deposed him.

Full story: Cautious optimism in Sudan as new head of transition vows civilian rule

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21:10 Sudan's turmoil presents a new set of problems for Egypt

Decades of fraught relations meant that when the news broke that Omar Al Bashir’s 30-year rule was over, Egypt warmly welcomed the new administration. But instability next door is an ongoing concern in Cairo already watching an offensive on Tripoli by Libya’s Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

Read Hamza Hendawi’s full story on the view from Cairo

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17:42 Civilian government to be established in Sudan, says new head of military council

In his first televised address, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, the new head of Sudan's transitional military council, said on Saturday that a civilian government would be established after consultations with opposition forces and promised that the transitional period would last for a maximum of two years.

Lt Gen Al Burhan said he was cancelling a night curfew ordered by his predecessor and ordered the release of all prisoners jailed under emergency laws by ousted President Omar Al Bashir.

The alliance of opposition groups, the Freedom and Change Deceleration Forces, have agreed to with transitional military council.

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16:07 The National's editorial: A deeply precarious moment for Sudan

A formidable task now lies ahead of Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan. He faces the challenge of uniting a fractious country crippled by economic crisis, where poverty is rife and the cost of basic commodities has soared, leading to a shortage of flour and fuel. Yet there is hope on the faces of the tens of thousands of people who continue to mass outside military headquarters in Khartoum, demanding a transition to civilian rule.

Read it in full here

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15:55 Who are Sudan's military leaders?

The military's move against Omar Al Bashir was the final straw for the president's three-decade rule, here are the profiles of the men at the top.

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15:30 Pictures: Protests in Khartoum

Sudanese demonstrators gather outside the army headquarters in Khartoum. AFP A Sudanese woman dressed in a white garb surrounding clothes coloured with camouflage patters and wearing a green beret holds up a sign reading in vernacular Arabic "this is the will of the people, an Army stand supported by the [Rapid] Support [Forces]". AFP Sudanese demonstrators gather for a rally. AFP Demonstrators defied orders to break up and continue to protest. AFP Sudanese demonstrators gather during a rally demanding a civilian body to lead the transition to democracy, outside the army headquarters in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. Sudan's new military leader General Awad Ibn Ouf resigned late on April 12 just a day after being sworn in, as the country's army rulers insisted they would pave the way for a civilian government. AFP A Sudanese peddlar walks with national flags to be sold during a rally demanding a civilian body to lead the transition to democracy. AFP Sudanese soldiers flash the victory gesture. AFP A Sudanese demonstrator waves a national flag. AFP

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15:00 Head of feared intelligence service resigns

Sudan's security and intelligence chief, Salah Gosh, has resigned, according to Sudanese TV reports. Mr Gosh was head of the powerful National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) which Mr Al Bashir used to try to suppress the protests calling for the president to step down. Protesters accused the NISS of brutal tactics such as cutting female protesters’ hair, threatening detained female protesters with rape and reportedly torturing prisoners to reveal the names of protest leadership. “The police in uniform are restrained compared to NISS forces,” said one protester who spoke to The National.

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11:57 Appeals for economic aid

As Sudan's political landscape shifts, the economy is slipping further into crisis, with shortages of essential items like flour and fuel.

The IMF's forecasts for this year are of real GDP shrinking by 2.3 per cent, while consumer prices will soar by 49.6 per cent.

"We want your donations as we have some economic issues," the head of the military council's political committee, Lieutenant General Omar Zain Al Abideen, told Arab and African diplomats in a televised meeting, citing "a shortage of essential items like flour and fuel".

Read more

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11:45 United States faces a new set of challenges after Bashir's ousting

Omar Al Bashir was not a friend and at critical moments undermined Washington's interests, but the United States' dilemna in Sudan is now in seeking a civilian transition while at the same time acknowledging its limited leverage and not alienating the military leadership, writes Joyce Karam.

Experts argue that a post-Bashir transition that would guarantee “continuity and stability” may be Washington’s best bet despite the Trump administration’s lavish talk about “democratic elections" and "respect of human rights” in Sudan.

Read the full analysis here.

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11:27 Will Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan meet Sudan protesters' demands?

Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan became the third leader of Sudan in three days after Defence Minister Awad Ibn Auf stepped down after protesters demanded a "transitional civilian government" following President Omar Al Bashir's ousting on Thursday.

The military council said earlier that it expected a pre-election transition to last two years at most or much less if chaos was avoided.

Gen Ibn Auf also announced a state of emergency, a nationwide ceasefire and the suspension of the constitution, as well as the nighttime curfew from 10pm to 4am. Those steps were criticised as heavy-handed by protest groups which demanded uicker and more substantial change.

"What happened is a step in the right direction and is a bow to the will of the masses, and we have become closer to victory," said Rashid Saeed, a spokesman for the main protest group, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA).

Lt Gen Al Burhan, the new head of the transitional military council, was the inspector general of the Sudanese armed forces and its third most senior general. He is little known in public life.

He was the head of Sudan’s ground forces, a role in which he oversaw Sudanese troops who fought in the Saudi-led Yemen war. He has close ties to senior Gulf military officials as he was responsible for coordinating Sudan's military involvement in the war.

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10:10 'We toppled two presidents in two days'

Celebrations in Khartoum continued into Saturday morning after the resignation of Awad Ibn Auf, who stepped down a day after taking power from Omar Al Bashir.

Crowds of protesters waving flags chanted "we toppled two presidents in two days".

"We have done it, we have done it," shouted young men and women as they drove across Khartoum after Gen Ibn Auf announced his resignation on state television.

Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Burhan has been appointed the new leader of Sudan's transitional council.

Gen Ibn Auf appointed Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan his successor. Protest organisers however warned Lt Gen Burhan that if he failed to transfer powers to a civilian transitional government he would face their fury too.

They called on Lt Gen Al Burhan to reverse decisions announced by Gen Ibn Auf such as cancelling the suspension of the constitution and also implored him to end the state of emergency and curfews.

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09:51 Awad Ibn Auf: the Bashir veteran who held Sudan power for a day

Awad Ibn Auf. AFP

Seconds after Vice President Awad Ibn Auf announced that he would head Sudan’s military transitional government, protesters erupted in anger. The statement was broadcast over state radio on Thursday, hours after Omar Al Bashir reportedly "stepped down" after months of protests. On Friday, the military announced that Gen Ibn Auf had been replaced.

Read Mat Nashed's profile here

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03.15 Protesters celebrate resignation of Awad Ibn Auf

News of the change in military council leadership sparked joyful celebrations by many thousands in the streets of Khartoum as people chanted, "The second has fallen!" in reference to Bashir, witnesses said.

"What happened is a step in the right direction and is a bow to the will of the masses, and we have become closer to victory," Rashid Saeed, a spokesman for the main protest group, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), told Reuters.

"We are committed to our demands that we submitted to the army," he said. "We call on the masses to stay on the streets until all the demands are met."

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01.50 Sudan Police: 16 dead in protests

Sixteen people have been killed by "live ammunition" in Khartoum during ongoing protests over the past two days, Sudan's police said.

"Sixteen people died and 20 were wounded by live ammunition" as the capital saw massive gatherings during the past two days, police spokesman General Hashim Abdelrahim told AFP.

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00.01 Awad Ibn Auf steps down as transitional council leader

Awad Ibn Auf, the Sudanese Defence Minister, stepped down on Friday evening. EPA

Sudan's Defence Minister Awad Ibn Auf announced in a televised address that he is stepping down as head of the country's transitional military council, just 24 hours after assuming the position.

Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Burhan will be the new head of the transitional military council.

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21.49 Protesters prepare to defy curfew once more, vow to topple new military rulers

Demonstrators in their thousands bedded down for the evening outside army headquarters in Khartoum, chanting "it will fall again, it will fall again", witnesses said.

Dressed in white traditional clothes, men and women, headed to the military complex where protesters have massed for seven straight days. "We did it once, we can do it again," said a protester, who has been at the site of the ongoing demonstration since Tuesday night. He planned to spend another night in a row there.

Thousands took part in Friday prayers outside the gates in the searing heat, supported by Coptic Christians, who served food and drinks to worshippers ahead of their prayers.

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20.06 Military Council requests 'all political forces' to nominate delegates

The council has asked each political party to nominate two people to take part in discussions on the nation's future by Saturday at 8 am.

Once all letters have been received, a date for transition talks will be set, it announced.

#السودان #سونا| تعميم صحفي: في سبيبل سعي المجلس العسكري للاستماع لوجهات النظر لكافة القوى السياسية فقد تقرر أن يكون لقاء القوى السياسية باللجنة العسكرية السياسية وفقا للترتيب الأتي : 1. علي كل حزب سياسي تسليم خطاب بعدد إثنين ممثل مفوضين من الحزب لحضور اللقاء . pic.twitter.com/0T1K4XOOjY — SUDAN News Agency (SUNA) 🇸🇩 (@SUNA_AGENCY) April 12, 2019

The council, which is now running Sudan under Defence Minister Awad Ibn Auf, said it expects a pre-election transition period it announced on Thursday to last two years at most, or much less if chaos can be avoided.

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18:55 Sudan's army 'not greedy for power'

The head of the political committee of the transitional military council has a message for protesters on the streets of Khartoum demanding change.

"We are the protectors of the demands of the people and that is by consensus from the political entities," said Omar Zeinalabdin.

"We are not greedy for power."

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17:58 'Hundreds of thousands' protest outside defence ministry

Hundreds of thousands of protesters remain on the streets of Khartoum surrounding Sudan's defence ministry, according to Reuters.

Demonstrators have been warned by military coup leaders that there will be "zero tolerance" for disturbances.

A Sudanese demonstrator chants slogans as he protests against the army's announcement that President Omar Al Bashir would be replaced by a military-led transitional council, near Defence Ministry in Khartoum. Reuters

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17:24 Sudanese airspace reopens

Sudan's airspace has reopened following a 24-hour closure, according to flight tracking site FlightRadar24.

The shutdown, which began on Thursday afternoon, had forced a number of flights already in the air to reroute or turn back.

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16:57 Sudanese forces leader offers apology

The head of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces has apologised for taking part in the military council, Al Arabiya reports. The force led by Mohammed Hamdan Daglo is a part of the National Intelligence Security Services that Mr Al Bashir used to suppress protests. According to Sky News Arabia, the commander said his force would remain part of the armed forces and would work for national unity and respect for human rights.

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16:00 Fans fuelled ‘Alaa Saleh’ twitter account

Alaa Salah, a Sudanese woman propelled to internet fame earlier this week after clips went viral of her leading powerful protest chants against President Omar al-Bashir, attends a demonstration in front of the military headquarters in the capital Khartoum on April 10, 2019. In the clips and photos, the elegant Salah stands atop a car wearing a long white headscarf and skirt as she sings and works the crowd, her golden full-moon earings reflecting light from the fading sunset and a sea of camera phones surrounding her. Dubbed online as "Kandaka", or Nubian queen, she has become a symbol of the protests which she says have traditionally had a female backbone in Sudan. / AFP / -

A Twitter account claiming to belong to the young Sudanese protester Alaa Saleh, dubbed "Karnaka", or Nubian queen, garnered around 50,000 followers after a photo of her leading protests in Khartoum went viral earlier the week.

The account is in fact run by fans, who have been removing claims of any links to the protester.

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15:45 Protest leaders reject military's statements

The Sudanese Professionals Association, the umbrella group which is spearheading the demonstrations, is reported by Sky News Arabia to have rejected the statements by the military council.

The body described the press conference held earlier on Friday as "one of the methods or deception and absurdity" by the army.

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14:50 Friday’s announcements by Sudan’s military council

Here’s a summary of what was announced today by General Omar Zein Abedeen, head of the council’s political committee:

The military will rule for a “maximum” of two years but he claimed that under the right conditions would step aside after even one month.

Omar Al Bashir will not be extradited to face justice at the International Criminal Court but will be tried in Khartoum. Handing over Al Bashir would be "an ugly mark on Sudan”.

Bringing an end to Al Bashir’s rule "was not a coup" but a response to the people's demands.

The army wants only to "guide the country forward" and act as a "tool for change" rather than to rule for longer than a “maximum” of two years. He said of the protesters who had called for change: "We came for you."

You can read the full story here

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14:00 Military council will not hand over Bashir to international justice

The head of the political committee said that former president Omar Al Bashir will not be handed over to the International Criminal Court, where he is indicted for suspected war crimes in Darfur. However he might be tried in Sudan, he added.

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13:45 Civilians to be invited to join transitional government

The head of the political committee of Sudan's new ruling military council said a transitional government will include civilians. Members of Omar Al Bashir's National Congress Party will also be allowed to compete in eventual elections.

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13:20 Military council gives hope to protesters

Speaking at a press conference in Khartoum, a spokesman for the military council appeared to offer an olive branch to protesters when he conceded that the army might hand over power in less than the two-year period stated on Thursday.

"Two years is the maximum," he said. "If within a month Sudan is able to manage itself without any chaos, we are willing to step aside."

He said that the council's role was to oversee security and create the environment in which the Sudanese people will be able to be governed "according to their will".

The council "will not force anything on the people" and wants to create an atmosphere for peaceful dialogue.

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12:50 International reaction to the end of the Bashir era

Here’s a round-up of earlier reaction to the coup on Thursday:

A spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that the UN continued to call for member states to abide by warrants issued by the International Criminal Court.

Egypt expressed its "complete support" for Sudan's people and the army in the political transition to follow the removal of Omar Al Bashir. Cairo voiced its full belief in "the ability of the brotherly Sudanese people and their loyal national army to overcome the challenges of this critical stage to achieve stability, prosperity and development", a Foreign Ministry statement said.

US State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino called developments in Sudan a “historic moment”, but said the two-year transition put in place by the military was too long and the process “should happen sooner"

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that “brave people have called for change, but it must be real change. A military council ruling for two years is not the answer.”

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12:25 UN human rights chief issues statement

Sudanese authorities should release people held for peacefully protesting and investigate the use of force against demonstrations since December, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said.

"This is a very critical, volatile moment for Sudan and there is deep uncertainty and unease about the future," Ms Bachelet said, adding that the authorities must refrain from using force against peaceful protesters.

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11:30 Meeting with Arab and foreign diplomats

Sky News Arabia has just tweeted that the President of Sudan's Transitional Military Council has instructed the Military Political Committee to meet with Arab and foreign diplomats accredited in Khartoum this evening.

رئيس المجلس العسكري الانتقالي في السودان يكلف لجنة سياسية ـ عسكرية بعقد لقاء مع الدبلوماسيين العرب والأجانب المعتمدين في الخرطوم مساء اليوم — سكاي نيوز عربية-الآن (@SkyNewsArabia_B) April 12, 2019

Sudanese soldiers stand guard on armoured military vehicles as demonstrators continue their protest against the regime near the army headquarters in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on April 11, 2019. AFP Members of the Sudanese military gather in a street in central Khartoum on April 11, 2019, after one of Africa's longest-serving presidents was toppled by the army. AFP Members of the Sudanese security forces wave their national flag and flash the "V" for victory sign on April 11, 2019 in the capital Khartoum. AFP A Sudanese anti-regime protester kisses a soldier on the head during protests on April 11, 2019 in the area around the army headquarters in Sudan's capital Khartoum. AFP Protesters on the streets of Khartoum , Sudan EPA Protesters on the streets of Khartoum , Sudan, on April 2019. EPA Sudanese demonstrators gather in a street in central Khartoum on April 11, 2019. AFP Protesters on the streets of Khartoum , Sudan, on April 11, 2019. EPA

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10:55 Pope's gesture to South Sudan rivals

The secession of southern Sudan in 2011, to become the world's newest country, fuelled the economic woes of the north and was quickly followed by civil war.

At the Vatican on Thursday, Pope Francis knelt and kissed the feet of South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar in an act of humility to encourage them to strengthen the country's faltering peace process.

"I express my heartfelt hope that hostilities will finally cease, that the armistice will be respected, that political and ethnic divisions will be surmounted, and that there will be a lasting peace for the common good of all those citizens who dream of beginning to build the nation," he said.

Pope Francis has closed a two-day retreat with South Sudan authorities at the Vatican with an unprecedented act of respect, kneeling down and kissing the feet of the African leaders. Vatican Media via AP

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10:25 Sudan's new rulers to address the country

The military council is due to make further announcements later this morning.

On Thursday the Defence Minister, Ahmed Ibn Auf, a general who is head of the council, spoke on national television and radio and announced:

Former president Omar Al Bashir arrested

Two-year transitional period under military council

Closure of Sudanese airspace and all ports for 24 hours

Dissolution of the constitution

State of emergency for three months

Release of all political prisoners

Curfew between 10pm and 4am local time

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10:10 Sudan's economy 'the final straw' that broke Bashir

Hamza Hendawi reports that it was Sudan's economic crisis that ultimately led to the end of Omar Al Bashir's 30-year rule.

"The economy was the final straw that broke the back of the regime, which lost its legitimacy years ago but survived because the opposition was too fractured and weak to remove him," said Hany Raslan, an expert on Sudan from Egypt's Al Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

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10:00 Sudanese airspace remains closed

The country's airspace will remain closed at least until Friday afternoon.

Sudan's new military rulers on Thursday announced the closure of its airspace for 24 hours, forcing a number of flights already in the air to reroute or turn back before later flights were cancelled. They included Emirates flight EK 733, which had already departed Dubai for Khartoum when it received notice about the closure.

A number of carriers fly directly between Khartoum International Airport and cities in the UAE, including FlyDubai, Etihad Airways, Sudan Airways and Air Arabia.

Sudanese demonstrators cheer as they attend a protest rally in Khartoum. Reuters Sudanese soldiers stand on a building as demonstrators attend a protest rally. Reuters Sudanese demonstrators wave their national flag. Reuters Sudanese soldiers stand guard on armoured military vehicles as demonstrators continue their rally. AFP Sudanese anti-regime demonstrators stand on an armoured military vehicle. AFP A Sudanese anti-regime protester kisses a soldier. AFP A Sudanese girl flashes the victory sign and holds the national flag. AFP Sudanese anti-regime demonstrators, holding up a banner calling for "Freedom, Peace and Justice" carry on with their protest. AFP Sudanese demonstrators attend a protest rally. Reuters Sudanese soldiers stand guard as demonstrators continue their rally. AFP

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09:40 Statement from Federica Mogherini

The EU High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini has issued the following statement on the situation in Sudan:

For months, the people of Sudan have peacefully and with determination called for change.

As underlined by the Chairperson of African Union Commission in his statement today, a military council does not provide the answers and breaches the principles of the African Union Charter.

Only a credible and inclusive political process can meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people and lead to the political and economic reforms the country needs.

That can only be achieved through a swift handover to a civilian transitional government. In that process, all must exercise calm and utmost restraint.

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07:30 No action against protesters

There were no initial reports overnight of any action by the Sudanese armed forces against the protesters who defied the curfew in the capital Khartoum.

12 April, 12:02 am Sudan 🇸🇩 Revolutionaries chant the Sudan National Anthem At the vicinity of the Army HQs now, defying the curfew imposed by the country's new military council.#SudanUprising to achieve a civilian-led transitional government. Proud to be one of them ✌🏻🔥🇸🇩👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/V925sbm0F6 — Ahmed Aboelela (@AhmedAb45273759) April 12, 2019

Thousands turned out again, this time demanding a swift return to civilian rule rather than the two-year governance by the new military council that was announced on Thursday.

_______________</s>KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan’s defense minister said on Thursday that President Omar al-Bashir had been detained “in a safe place” and that a military council would run the country for a two-year transitional period.

In a statement broadcast on state TV Defense Minister Awad Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf said there would be elections at the end of the transitional period.</s>Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has been ousted and arrested by the military after nearly 30 years in power.

Speaking on state TV, defence minister Awad Ibn Auf said the army would oversee a two-year transitional period followed by elections.

He also said a three-month state of emergency was being put in place.

Protesters, however, have vowed to stay on the streets despite an overnight curfew being imposed by the military.

Demonstrations against Mr Bashir, who has governed Sudan since 1989, have been taking place for several months.

The protesters are now demanding a civilian council to lead the transition rather than a military one.</s>As Sudan’s military announced at lunchtime Thursday that it had finally unseated President Omar al-Bashir, a brief burst of joy exploded outside the military headquarters in Khartoum where huge throngs of protesters had massed.

Nearly four months of protest, dozens of deaths at the hands of the security forces and endless chants of “revolution!” had finally come to this: the ouster of the despised leader who had ruled their vast country, plagued by famine and war, for 30 years.

But the euphoria quickly soured when the protesters realized who had replaced al-Bashir.

The somber man reading the speech on television was Lt. Gen. Awad Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf, the defence minister and a close confidant of al-Bashir. Ibn Auf, like al-Bashir, had been accused of perpetrating war crimes in Sudan’s western region of Darfur.

The protesters fell silent as he laid out his terms: the release of political prisoners, but also a two-year transition steered by a military council, the suspension of Sudan’s Constitution, the dissolution of government and curfews starting at 10 p.m. that night. Loud groans and lamentations rippled through the crowd, followed by a current of anger.

New cries rang out. “We do not replace a thief with a thief,” some chanted.

“We don’t want the same guy!” shouted others. Within hours, another taunt at the regime was circulating online: “It fell once, it can fall again!”

Protesters were caught between their jubilation at the ouster of al-Bashir, a ruthless leader who promised greatness but ultimately brought war, international isolation and economic ruin, and their abiding anxiety over what will follow him.

“What has been just stated is for us a coup, and it is not acceptable,” said Sara Abdelgalil, a spokeswoman for the Sudanese Professionals Association, which has been organizing the protests. “They are recycling the faces, and this will return us to where we have been.”

Even by the standards of the world’s autocrats, al-Bashir, 75, had a low reputation. He was the only active leader of a nation to be wanted by the International Criminal Court, which accused him of playing “an essential role” in a genocidal purge in Darfur by overseeing the forces that killed, raped and terrorized hundreds of thousands of civilians.

Al-Bashir ruled Sudan longer than any other leader since the country gained independence in 1956, and was seen as a pariah in much of the world. In the 1990s, he hosted Osama bin Laden, inviting U.S. sanctions, and in 1998 a U.S. cruise missile struck a factory in Khartoum for its alleged links to al-Qaida.

He presided over a ruinous 21-year war in southern Sudan, where his forces pushed barrel bombs from planes onto remote villages. The country ultimately divided in 2011, when South Sudan gained independence. But al-Bashir kept fighting brutal conflicts with rebels in other parts of Sudan.

In addition, he sent thousands of Sudanese soldiers to fight outside the country, including in the civil war in Yemen, and it is not clear whether a successor will call them home.

The protesters who ousted al-Bashir on Thursday were driven, principally, by his domestic failures. Demonstrations in December over the soaring price of bread evolved into a countrywide street movement that harnessed the frustrations of many young Sudanese.

Those protests, largely ignored by the world for months, captured global attention this week. A striking photo of one protester standing on a car and wearing a white thoub — a long robe — and gold earrings as she urged on a crowd was widely shared online and called an iconic image of the demonstrations.

And the open dismay that greeted al-Bashir’s successor — another military man, cut from essentially the same cloth — suggested the protesters had learned lessons from the failures of the Arab Spring in 2011 in Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

Just as Algerian protesters refused to leave the streets last week after their own aging autocrat, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, stepped down but left the ruling clique in place, so the Sudanese protesters vowed Thursday not to go home anytime soon.

“We insist on a civil government,” said Abdelgalil, the protest organizer, adding that the demonstrations would continue “until there is a complete step down of the whole regime.”

But in ousting al-Bashir, said to be in “a safe place” after his arrest, the military had seized the momentum. Dozens of leading Islamists and members of al-Bashir’s ruling National Congress Party, viewed as potential political rivals to the military, were taken into custody.

“It’s basically Bashir’s henchmen taking over,” said Alex de Waal, a Sudan expert at Tufts University. “It stops a civil war among Sudan’s rivalrous military oligarchs, but it won’t satisfy the demands for democracy.” The drama had begun after dawn Thursday with a moment of unalloyed hope.

After five days of dramatic protests outside the military compound which houses Sudan’s military headquarters and al-Bashir’s home, a message flashed on state television and radio: “The army will soon make an announcement. Please expect it.”

Instinctively, many protesters camped at the compound gates felt they knew what it meant: al-Bashir was gone. Celebrations erupted. Protesters danced and sang, some alongside soldiers who had deserted their positions.

“I have never seen such happiness in the face of the Sudanese people,” said Sara Elnour, a 27-year-old doctor.

But in the hours that followed, no announcement came. Rumors swirled that al-Bashir’s top lieutenants — his intelligence and army chiefs, and the head of a powerful militia, among others — were huddling in secret, trying to decide who should take over.

One of them, Salah Gosh, heads the National Intelligence and Security Service, a paramilitary body notorious for torture which tried to brutally suppress the protests in recent weeks. Gosh is considered to be close to the United Arab Emirates, and has worked closely with the United States on counterterrorism in recent years.

Another was Ibn Auf, the defense minister, a former diplomat and head of Sudan’s military intelligence.

In 2007, the State Department imposed sanctions on Ibn Auf for his role in “violence, atrocities and human rights abuses” in Darfur. An American diplomatic cable in 2008, later published by WikiLeaks, said Ibn Auf had provided logistical support to the janjaweed militia, which carried out some of the worst atrocities in Darfur, and even directed attacks.

As the hours passed Thursday and people waited for the army announcement, the streets of Khartoum, the capital, filled with residents. While anxious protest leaders urged people that the work was not yet done, many in the crowd felt they were on the cusp of victory.

“We won, we won,” protesters told each other, according to witnesses.

When Ibn Auf finally addressed the nation, Elnour stopped her car to listen on the radio. Bystanders crowded around the vehicle. When the speech was over, she felt tricked.

“I saw people crying and shouting with anger,” she said. “We feel that they have tricked us and are just trying to steal the revolution.”

The military offered little information about the membership or structure of the transitional government. A senior official said it was still being debated privately by leaders of the military and security services.

Just what form Sudan’s uprising should take, though, has not always been clear. During the months of demonstrations, some protesters openly invited Sudan’s military to help them topple al-Bashir.

In early April, large crowds began to gather outside the army headquarters. Instead of dispersing the crowd, Sudanese soldiers permitted the protesters to stay and by last weekend began to block — and in a few cases fire upon — other security and intelligence forces seeking to crack down.

But on Thursday, many were adamant that civilians should forge the way forward.

“A civilian is needed, not one of these army officers, said Elsamawal Alshafee, a 32-year-old salesman. “We want a real democracy, with real freedom and human rights.”

Their demands found support in Washington and Brussels.

“The Sudanese people have been clear that they have been demanding a civilian-led transition,” a State Department spokesman, Robert Palladino, told reporters at a briefing. “They should be allowed to do so sooner than two years from now.”

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said, “Only a credible and inclusive political process can meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people.”

In Khartoum late Thursday, protesters streamed back to the gates of the military headquarters, defying the curfew to resume their sit-in.

Elnour said she wept with disappointment earlier in the day, but now had gathered her strength again.

“After all these efforts, this can’t be the end,” she said. “We will continue our revolution until our goals have been achieved.”</s>The Sudanese military moved swiftly to replace the country’s transitional leader linked to the Darfur genocide after street rallies against him but said that it would not hand over ousted president, Omar al-Bashir, to the International Criminal Court, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity.

Thousands of jubilant protesters celebrated in the streets after the defence minister, Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf, who was named de facto leader after overthrowing Bashir on Thursday, announced that he was stepping down as transitional leader. He named a reputable army general as his successor.

Auf said he would be replaced by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, general inspector of the armed forces, as head of the transitional council, which will rule the country for two years until elections.

“I am confident he will steer the ship to safe shores,” he said of Burhan, adding that he was stepping aside to “preserve unity” of the armed forces.

Burhan’s record appears to be cleaner than the rest of Bashir’s generals and he is not known to be implicated in war crimes or wanted by international courts. He was one of the generals who went to meet protesters at the week-long encampment near the military headquarters and listened to their views.

Chants rang out across the sit-in where tens of thousands have been rallying in front of the military headquarters to protest against the military takeover of power after Bashir’s removal. “Revolutionaries, we will continue our path,” the protesters shouted as they danced and clapped.

Earlier another top general, Omar Zein Abedeen had said that Bashir, 75, would not be extradited to the International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, Netherlands as doing so would be “an ugly mark on Sudan.”

“Even rebels carrying weapons, we don’t extradite them,” he told reporters at a press conference in Khartoum.

Zein Abedeen said Sudanese courts would hold Bashir “accountable,” but did not specify what charges he could face. After his arrest, the military denounced the former leader and his government for corruption, maladministration and “lack of justice.”

The protesters rejected Ibn Auf’s leadership because he was head of military intelligence during the brutal campaign to suppress the Darfur insurgency in the 2000s. The US has imposed sanctions on him since 2007, saying that he armed and directed pro-government militias known as the Janjaweed, accused of widespread atrocities against civilians and rapes during the conflict.

The move also underscores the limits on the reach of the International Criminal Court. On Friday, ICC judges rejected a request by the court’s prosecutor to open an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan and alleged crimes by US forces there, in part because the US, Afghan government and Taliban are not expected to cooperate.</s>Sudanese defense minister has announced the military has overthrown and arrested President Omar al-Bashir and has taken charge of the country for the next two years following nearly four months of protests against his rule.

Awad Mohammed Ibn Ouf appeared on state TV, in military fatigues, following an earlier announcement of an “important statement” coming from the army on Thursday.

Ibn Ouf says after the two years, “free and fair elections” will take place.

He says a state of emergency has been imposed for the next three months and that the military has also suspended the constitution, closed borders and the country’s airspace.

A transitional military council will lead the country for two years,

Ouf also said the government and the presidency have been dissolved, and imposed a night curfew.
The Sudanese military surrounds the presidential palace in the capital Khartoum, and takes over state media buildings amid protests against President Omar al-Bashir. Several senior ministers are reportedly arrested, including former Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein.