Sudan's top general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan defended the army's seizure of power on Tuesday, saying he had ousted the government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok to avoid civil war.

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Speaking at his first news conference since he announced his takeover on Monday, Burhan accused politicians of incitement against the armed forces. He said Hamdok was confined in his own home and had not been harmed.

Soldiers arrested the prime minister and other members of his cabinet on Monday, hours before Burhan appeared on TV to announce the dissolution of the Sovereign Council, a body set up to share power between the military and civilians.

Monday's military takeover brought a halt to Sudan's transition to democracy two years after a popular uprising toppled long-serving autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

An official at the health ministry said seven people were killed in clashes between protesters and the security forces on Monday. On Tuesday, life was halted in Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman across the Nile, with shops shut and plumes of smoke rising from where protesters were burning tires.

Burhan said the military's action did not amount to a coup, as the army was trying to rectify the path of the political transition.

Western countries have denounced the coup, called for the detained cabinet ministers to be freed, and said they will cut off aid if the military does not restore power-sharing with civilians.

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FIFA says it asked the Iraq soccer federation "to nominate a neutral venue" for the matches on Nov. 14 and 19.

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The games were to be played in Basra, the southern city which hosted Iraq's return last month to playing competitive games at home.

Iraq has rarely staged home games since the 1980s because of security concerns.

Turmoil in Iraq in recent weeks has been fueled by economic problems and dissatisfaction with Iran's political influence on its neighbor.

Iraq's 2-0 win over Hong Kong in Basra last month left the national team at the top of its five-team qualifying group. Two teams advance to the next round of Asian qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The post FIFA orders Iraq to move World Cup qualifiers due to 'unsafe' security situation appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.