UPDATES WITH REMARKS FROM SOURCE
By Muhammed Amin and Omer Erdem
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) – Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has stepped down, military sources claimed on Thursday in the wake of continued calls for his resignation.
A transitional government has been formed by the army in order to rule the country in the upcoming period, a military source said, refusing to give further details.
“I can confirm that Bashir has stepped down after pressure piled up on him by the army and the protestors,” said the source, who asked not to be named, due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
Sudanese state TV and radio announced early morning that the army would “make an important statement “, but nothing has been aired so far.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been taking to the streets of the capital Khartoum to celebrate ousting of 30-year rule of Bashir.
Bashir is now under house arrest and his bodyguards have been detained, local media reported.
Meanwhile, Sudanese military intelligence rounded up more than 100 executives of the ruling National Congress Party.
Among those arrested were former Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein, former Vice President Ali Osman Taha, and ruling party head Ahmed Haroun.
Sudanese troops have also been deployed around the state TV building, and some soldiers reportedly entered the building in Omdurman, the country’s second largest city.
Reports also said that flights at Sudan's Khartoum International Airport have been suspended while only landings on the airport are being allowed.
Hundreds of Sudanese protesters on Wednesday staged a sit-in outside army headquarters in the capital for the fifth day in a row amid continued calls for President Omar al-Bashir to step down.
Since Saturday, at least 22 people have been killed in clashes between demonstrators and security forces, which have repeatedly tried to disperse the sit-in by force, according to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors.
The police, for their part, said that only a single protester was killed.
Sudan has been shaken by protests since last December, with demonstrators demanding the departure of al-Bashir, who has ruled Sudan since 1989.
*Writing by Nilay Kar Onum
