Sudanese army removes president

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has been removed from power and detained by the army, Defense Minister Awad Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf announced on Thursday, Reuters reported.

In an address on state television, he said Bashir, 75, was under arrest in a "safe place", and a transitional military council would replace Bashir for two years until "free and fair elections" take place.

He announced that the military also suspended the interim constitution, dissolved the government, declared a state of emergency for three months, closed the country's borders and airspace and imposed a curfew for one month, The Associated Press reported.