By Faruk Zorlu
ANKARA (AA) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone Thursday with Sudanese army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the country’s ousted Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
"The Secretary urged General Burhan to immediately release all political figures detained since Oct. 25 and return to a dialogue that returns Prime Minister Hamdok to office and restores civilian-led governance in Sudan," the US State Department said in a statement.
Expressing his admiration for the Sudanese people who have fought for democracy, it said "the Secretary expressed his hope that the Sudanese military will take the action necessary to allow the resumption of a US-Sudan partnership that encompasses political, diplomatic, security and economic cooperation."
In his talks with Hamdok, Blinken "underscored the strong support of the United States for the Sudanese people who seek democracy and called for an immediate restoration of the civilian-led transition to democracy," said a separate statement from State Department spokesman Ned Price.
Blinken also said that “a return to Sudan’s democratic transition will permit the resumption of a strong partnership that encompasses political, diplomatic, security and economic cooperation between our two countries," it added.
Hamdok and several ministers in his civilian government were detained by the Sudanese military on Oct. 25 amid rising tensions between the military and civilian components of the transitional authority.
Shortly after detaining Hamdok, al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the transitional Sovereign Council and government, triggering mass protests.
Before the military takeover, Sudan was administered by a sovereign council of military and civilian officials which was overseeing the transition period until elections are held in 2023 as part of a precarious power-sharing pact between the military and the Forces for Freedom and Change coalition.