After months of civil unrest and anti-Bashir protests, Sudan’s Minister of Defense, Awad Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf, has announced the ousting of president Omar al-Bashir on Thursday. Sudan’s army has also set up a transitional military council to take control of the country for a temporary duration of two years, as per a televised statement. The news was expected as state television announced troops’ deployment in Khartoum and an ‘important announcement to be made soon’ earlier in the day. Footage of thousands of civilians taking to the streets has been circulating on social media, namely of of female protesters referred to as ‘Nubian queens’ leading anti-government chants. Security and army forces have taken position on major roads and bridges in the Sudanese capital; they’ve also been deployed around the defense ministry. An Egyptian Streets reporter on the ground has described the action unfurling in Sudan: after weeks of sporadic internet access, blocked sites have now returned to function, all pro-government organizations sites have been blocked instead and the city’s airport has temporarily shut down amidst the coup events. Although the protests were ongoing for months, the political situation bubbled over…
