Sudan army surrounds Khartoum home of Bashir's brothers

KHARTOUM

Sudanese army troops on Thursday surrounded the Khartoum home of former President Omar al-Bashir's brothers, according to local witnesses.

Witnesses reported seeing armored vehicles around the home of the former president’s brothers in Khartoum’s northern Kafouri suburb.

Local observers say the army raid specifically targets al-Bashir's brother, Abdullah, who faces accusations of corruption.

Opposition figures accuse Abdullah -- who owns several companies in the energy, industrial and commercial sectors -- of using his position to influence the granting of government contracts.

Earlier Thursday, hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets of Khartoum and other Sudanese cities to express their joy following reports of al-Bashir’s resignation after 30 years in power.

According to local media reports, al-Bashir is currently under house arrest while his bodyguards have been detained.

The Sudanese army has yet to release an official announcement regarding al-Bashir's reported resignation.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat