Sudan’s Bashir takes responsibility for 1989 coup

KHARTOUM, Sudan

Ousted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Tuesday announced his full responsibility for the events of the 1989 coup d'état that brought him and 27 of his aides to power.

"I bear full responsibility for the events of the June 1989 events," al-Bashir said during a trial session as aired by state television.

The former president cited several achievements since he came to power in 1989.

“We invited 77 party leaders for dialogue after the 1989 events, with the aim of restoring peace to the country,” al-Bashir said.

"We had great successes, we wanted to serve the Sudanese people and our goal was not power," he said, denying any role for civilians in carrying out the 1989 coup.

Al-Bashir faces charges of undermining Sudan’s constitutional order by staging the 1989 coup.

On June 30, 1989, al-Bashir staged a military coup against the government of Prime Minister Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, and ruled the country under what he named the "national salvation revolution".

The former president is currently held in the Kober prison in Khartoum after being found guilty of corruption in December 2019.

Al-Bashir ruled Sudan for three decades and was removed from power by the military in 2019 following mass protests.

* Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report