KHARTOUM: Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said on Monday he was “in good shape” after surviving an assassination attempt on his way to work on Monday.
Hamdok said the attack was “an additional push to the wheel of change in Sudan,” where he leads a transitional government following the overthrow of Omar Bashir.
Saudi Arabia condemned the attempted assassination, denouncing “this cowardly terrorist act and any attempts to undermine the security and stability of Sudan.”
Unidentified attackers targeted the prime minister’s convoy near the northern entrance to the Kober bridge, which crosses the Blue Nile from Khartoum North to the city center.
Some witnesses said the convoy was hit by gunfire and a projectile, others that it had been targeted by a car bomb.
“I saw the moment of the explosion and the strike, and the strike came from a high building,” one witness said.
Security authorities launched an investigation. “Terrorist attempts and dismantling the old regime will be dealt with decisively. What happened not only targeted the prime minister himself but targeted
the Sudanese revolution,” said Information Minister Faisal Salih.
The Sudanese security council led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan condemned the attack and said it would seek the help of friendly countries to investigate it and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Hamdok leads a government of technocrats under a power-sharing agreement between the military and civilian groups for a transitional period due to last until late 2022.
Thousands of protesters have held demonstrations in recent weeks to support Hamdok and
his administration.
The Sudanese Professionals Association, which led the anti-Bashir movement, called for further rallies to display unity and support for civilian rule.