French President Macron calls for immediate release of Sudan Prime Minister

French President Emmanuel Macron holds a news conference at the end of the second day of a European Union leaders meeting in Brussels, Belgium October 22, 2021. Aris Oikonomou/Pool via REUTERS

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday condemned the coup attempt in Sudan and called for the immediate release of the Sudanese Prime Minister and civilian members of the government.

Soldiers arrested most of the members of Sudan's cabinet on Monday and a military officer dissolved the transitional government, while opponents of the takeover took to the streets where gunfire and injuries were reported.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was detained and moved to an undisclosed location after refusing to issue a statement in support of the coup, said the information ministry, still apparently under the control of Hamdok's supporters.

Sudan's information ministry said military forces had arrested civilian members of the Sovereign Council and members of the government. In a statement sent to Reuters, it called on Sudanese "to block the military's movements to block the democratic transition".

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)