Sudan: Government Forces Retake Intelligence Buildings

Sudanese government forces succeeded late Tuesday in retaking control of all intelligence buildings in the capital following a revolt by armed former security agents linked to toppled ruler Omar al-Bashir.

Government forces raided all buildings belonging to the General Intelligence Agency and detained the ex-agents, a military source told Anadolu Agency.

"We assure our citizens that events are under control. We will not stop our march and they will not cause a retreat from the goals of the revolution," Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok said on Facebook after the former agents fired shots into the air in protest against their severance packages after their unit was disbanded.

A total of 43 agents were detained while Sudanese intelligence announced that the rebellion was ended as a result of negotiations and those who had resisted surrendered with their weapons.

Meanwhile, clashes between government forces and some intelligence officers in the Al-Riyadh and Soba quarters of the capital are ongoing. Heavy weapons are also being used.

According to local sources, one soldier was killed and others injured during the clash at the intelligence headquarters in Soba.

Government spokesman Faisal Mohamed Saleh said in a statement that some areas of the capital witnessed a rebellion by former security agents of the General Intelligence Agency.

He said the incidents took place in response to a decision by the intelligence service to dissolve the Operations Authority, prompting some of its units to reject the financial compensation offered because it was lower than what they said they deserved.

Saleh said incidents occurred in Khartoum North, Soba and east of Khartoum International Airport and a limited protest was staged in Al-Abyad in North Kurdufan province.

He appealed to residents to steer clear of such areas and to leave the situation to government forces.

The Operations Authority has an estimated 13,000 personnel, including 7,000 in Khartoum state.

Opposition parties and political activists have recently demanded that the Operations Authority be dissolved after it was accused of being involved in the killing of protestors during the uprising that toppled Bashir last April. -