Cars drive along a flooded street in Khartoum after torrential rain fell on the Sudanese capital, almost paralyzing traffic, on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Sudan's fragile transitional government said it foiled an attempted coup Tuesday involving military officers and civilians linked to the ousted regime of longtime former president Omar al-Bashir.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said the coup attempt was the "latest manifestation of the national crisis," referring to deep divisions threatening Sudan's democratic transition.

In a televised speech, he said the plotters had "made extensive preparations, which were showcased in the security breakdown in cities... blocking of national roads, closure of ports and persistent instigation against the civilian government."

Information Minister Hamza Baloul said later the coup attempt had been thwarted.

"Order has been restored and the leaders of the attempted coup, both military and civilian, have been arrested," he said. 

The military said "most" of those involved had been apprehended, including 11 officers.

"The army regained control over the sites that perpetrators sought to seize," it said. "Searches and investigations are still ongoing for others involved." Sudan's army commander and head of the sovereign council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited the military camp in south Khartoum where the attempted putsch reportedly began.

"Had it succeeded, the attempt could have had devastating consequences on the unity of the army, security forces, and the country," he said.

State television aired patriotic songs and urged people to "confront" the coup attempt.

In Khartoum, traffic flowed smoothly, where protesters staged a months-long sit-in that eventually led to Bashir's overthrow in a palace coup in 2019.