Sudanese political sources said that soldiers arrested most members of the Sudanese cabinet and a large number of leaders of pro-government parties today, Monday;

In what appears to be a military coup, after weeks of tensions between the military and the civilian government.

Here are some questions and answers about the background of current events:

Who is in charge of matters in Sudan?

Sudan began the process of transition to democracy after a popular uprising in April 2019 toppled the rule of ousted President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who ruled the country for nearly three decades.

Under an August 2019 agreement, the Sudanese army would share power with certain officials from civilian political groups within the ruling Sovereignty Council, which was due to lead the country to elections by the end of 2023.

Have there been tensions before?

Although the role of the military was supposed to be largely ceremonial, civilians frequently complained that the military overstepped its authority with regard to foreign policy and peace negotiations.

The army accused civilian parties of mismanagement and monopolizing power, and a coalition of opposition groups and political parties sided with the armed forces and sought to dissolve the civilian cabinet.

The authorities said last September that they had thwarted a coup attempt and accused those they said were conspirators loyal to ousted President Omar al-Bashir.

What are the differences between?

One point of tension relates to the pursuit of justice over allegations that the Sudanese army and its allies have committed war crimes in the conflict in Darfur since 2003. The International Criminal Court is seeking to try al-Bashir and other Sudanese suspects.

The Sudanese civilian cabinet agreed to hand over the suspects, but the Sovereignty Council did not.

Another point of contention relates to the investigation into the killing of pro-democracy demonstrators on June 3, 2019, in an incident in which the finger of accusation was directed at military forces.

The delay in publishing the results of this investigation infuriates activists and civic groups, and civilians have lobbied for oversight and restructuring of the army, particularly by incorporating the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which military leaders oppose.

What about the economy?

The deepening economic crisis, which caused currency depreciation, and frequent shortages of bread and fuel, was the spark that led to Bashir's downfall.


The transitional government implemented harsh and rapid reforms under the supervision of the International Monetary Fund, in an attempt that succeeded in attracting foreign funding and debt relief.

Following the reforms, inflation rose to record levels of over 400%.

Most Sudanese complain of the difficulty of managing their livelihood, and protests over economic conditions erupt from time to time.

What about relations with neighboring countries?

Sudan is located in a volatile region;

Bordered by the Red Sea, the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, a number of Sudan's neighbors - such as Ethiopia, Chad and South Sudan - have been affected by political turmoil and conflict.

Since late last year, the conflict in the Ethiopian region of Tigray has pushed tens of thousands of displaced people to eastern Sudan, and raised military tension on agricultural land that Ethiopia has occupied for years and claims sovereignty over it.

Sudan is seeking - with Egypt - to reach a binding agreement on the operation of the Renaissance Dam that Ethiopia is building near the Sudanese border, and talks have stalled, but Ethiopia has started filling the reservoir behind the dam;

Sudan says the dam could endanger its citizens, dams and water facilities.