U.S. suspends economic aid to Sudan

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Monday suspended 700 million U.S. dollars in economic aid to Sudan after the country's military forces arrested civilian leaders and officials.

"The United States condemns the actions taken overnight by Sudanese military forces," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said during a press briefing. "The arrest of civilian government officials and other political leaders, including Prime Minister (Abdalla) Hamdok, undermines the country's transition to democratic civilian rule."

"In light of these developments, the United States is pausing assistance from the $700 million in emergency assistance appropriations of economic support funds for Sudan," he added.

Price urged the military to immediately release all detained political actors, fully restore the civilian-led transitional government, and refrain from violence against protesters.

Earlier on Monday, Chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency across Sudan, and dissolved the transitional sovereign council and the government.

The decision was made hours after Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, members of the Transitional Sovereignty Council's civilian component and several ministers were arrested by joint military forces.