Sudan aborts second coup attempt in one month

By Mohammed Amin

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) - The Sudanese Army on Wednesday foiled a coup attempt plotted by Lt. General Hashim Abdul Motalib Ahmed, the country's head of the joint chiefs of staff.

Earlier on July 11, Sudan's ruling military council had announced that it thwarted a military coup, just days after the military and a pro-democracy coalition had agreed on a joint sovereign council to rule the country during a transition period.

The army in a statement said that it has arrested Motalib and number of other senior officers. It also said that the current plot was an extension of the July 11 bid to take control of the government.

"The failed attempt aims to abort your glorious revolution and to return the former National Congress regime to power, and to disrupt the path before the expected political solution that aims to establish a civilian state," the statement said.

It further added that the plot was detected after tracking senior army officers and Motalib after the last July coup attempt.

The military said that it has also arrested a number of Islamist fighters who were supporting the coup attempt.

"A number of Islamists from the Sudanese Islamic movement and the former ruling National Congress Party have also been arrested after we realized that they were also involved in the failed coup attempt," the statement said.