After the coup in Sudan, the UN Security Council plans to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to deal with the situation in the East African country.

At the request of the USA, Great Britain, France, Estonia, Ireland and Norway, the most powerful UN body is expected to meet behind closed doors in the afternoon, New York time.

On this day, the ambassadors are returning to the United States from a joint work trip from the Sahel region.

Previously, the highest military representative in Sudan, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, announced on Monday the disempowerment of the civilian government members - a state of emergency would be imposed across the country.

Prime Minister Abdullah Hamduk, who had headed the interim government together with Al-Burhan since August 2019, was abducted to an unknown location by members of the military, according to a message from the Ministry of Information.

According to the United Nations, the military has taken control of the capital Khartoum.

The airport, bridges and state television are in the hands of the armed forces and the entrances to the city are blocked.

Protesters tried to break into the army headquarters

"Barricades are still burning here and we can hear gunshots from time to time, so there is of course the risk of more violence or tension when night falls," said the UN special envoy for Sudan, the German Volker Perthes, with a view on ongoing democracy protests against the army. “Some protesters tried to break into the army headquarters here in Khartoum today. We then saw gunshots and injuries, but we cannot confirm any details. "

A local dpa reporter observed that thousands of demonstrators were demonstrating on the streets of Khartoum against the takeover of the government by the army. According to doctors, protests reportedly resulted in at least two dead and around 80 injured. For months there have been repeated protests in Sudan by people demanding political and economic reforms. General Al-Burhan promised that the military would make the transition to democracy. The goal is to hand over the leadership of the country to a civilian government after the elections in July 2023.

Evidence of a coup had intensified early Monday morning. The Internet, the cellular network and parts of the landline network had not been accessible since the early hours of the morning. "In connection with internal political unrest in Khartoum extensive bridges and roadblocks were erected, both by the military and as part of demonstrations," said the Foreign Office in a statement.

Members of the transitional government and several ministers have also been arrested, the information ministry said.

According to the UN, journalists were also taken into custody.

A White House spokeswoman said Monday that it was "deeply concerned" about the reports from Sudan.

"We reject the action of the military and demand the immediate release of the prime minister and others who have been placed under house arrest."

America stops 700 million aid

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said $ 700 million aid planned to support Sudan's democratic transition would be halted for the time being. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that he would consider further steps. The EU foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell as well as French President Emmanuel Macron and UN Secretary General António Guterres demanded the release of Hamduk. Great Britain sharply criticized the coup.

Sudan was ruled by Omar al-Bashir for almost 30 years. The long-term ruler was driven out of office in April 2019 by months of mass protests and a military coup. As a result, the military and the civil opposition agreed on a joint transitional government that would pave the way for elections. Numerous reforms followed, through which the oil-rich but impoverished country was able to free itself from decades of isolation.

In May, international donors, including Germany, granted Sudan billions in debt relief to support the peaceful transition to democracy.

However, the economic situation has not improved for many people: according to the United Nations, the prices of food and fuel have skyrocketed in recent months.

More than half of the country's residents needed humanitarian aid.