Biden urges Sudan military to restore transitional government

WASHINGTON

US President Joe Biden demanded that the Sudanese military restore the civilian-led transitional government on Thursday and allow people to protest peacefully.

Biden also urged the military to "immediately release all those detained and restore the institutions associated with the transitional government, in line with the 2019 Constitutional Declaration and the 2020 Juba Peace Agreement."

"Then, with the support of the international community, I believe all parties in Sudan can reclaim a shared vision for completing Sudan’s transition to democracy," he said in a statement.

Biden praised the Sudanese people for demanding their voices be heard and helping the country make strides toward a new, democratic Sudan.

"The events of recent days are a grave setback, but the United States will continue to stand with the people of Sudan and their non-violent struggle to advance the goals of Sudan’s revolution," he added.

Sudan’s military announced a state of emergency on Monday and dissolved the transitional Sovereign Council and the government hours after detaining Prime Minister Hamdok and ministers in his civilian government.

Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, dissolved the transitional government on the pretext of saving the country from descending into civil war.

The transitional government was formed in the aftermath of the ouster of long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir through street protests in April 2019.

After a failed military coup last month, deep tensions erupted between the military and the civilian administration amid recent rival protests.

Before the military takeover, Sudan was administered by a sovereign council of military and civilian authorities which was overseeing the transition period until elections in 2023 as part of a precarious power-sharing pact between the military and the Forces for Freedom and Change coalition.