KHARTOUM (Reuters) -Sudanese authorities said they had foiled an attempted coup on Tuesday, accusing loyalists of ousted president Omar al-Bashir of trying to reverse a transition towards democracy since he was overthrown in 2019.

The army stated that the situation is under control in a short statement broadcast on state television. A witness stated that Khartoum’s streets were peaceful, and people moved about as they normally do. There was also no unusual deployment of security force, which is consistent with the testimony.

A coup attempt is a sign of the difficulty facing a government, which since 2019 has been reoriented Sudan and taken steps to normalize ties to Israel. It also faces severe economic difficulties and challenges from Bashir loyalists.

Since the ousting of Bashir (an Islamist who was shunned in the West) the Sovereign Council, a ruling body called the Sovereign Council had been running Sudan. It has managed to negotiate a delicate power-sharing agreement between civilians and the military.

In 2024, elections are planned.

An official from the government claimed that remnants of Bashir’s government participated in the coup attempt.

State TV spokeswoman Hamza Balol stated that “we assure the Sudanese population that the situation has been under control” and said, “The civilian and military planners of the coup attempt were arrested and are currently being interrogated.”

He said that Bashir loyalists continued to be pursued by the authorities.

A witness claimed on Tuesday that Bashir loyalists had used tanks and armor to destroy a bridge between Khartoum, Omdurman, and nearby Omdurman. This was just across the River Nile.

An anonymous government source said that the attempt at a coup was to seize control of Omdurman state radio.

Umma Party (one of Sudan’s biggest political parties) called on the citizens to resist the coup attempt. The Umma Party described the plot as “a continuation in desperate attempts to stop our glorious revolution from officers loyal the former regime.”

Bashir, currently in Khartoum jail, is facing multiple trials.