MOSCOW, July 12. /TASS/. Sudan’s authorities reported late on Thursday that a state coup attempt was thwarted in the country, Sky News Arabia said citing a statement by the defense and security committee of the Transitional Military Council.

According to the statement, 12 miltiary officers were involved in the attempted coup, they were detained.

"The security service started interrogating them, they will be transferred to the court promptly," the committee’s head, Lt. Gen. Jamal Omar, said.

He added that power transition can be achieved only through a popular vote, not by military means.

A month ago, the Transitional Miltary Council said it prevented two attempts to stage a state coup.

On April 11, the Sudanese army removed then-President Omar al-Bashir, who had been leading the country for thirty years, from office amid the protests that had mired the country for months and difficult economic situation in Sudan. The army took power by establishing a Transitional Military Council, dissolving the Parliament and suspending the Constitution. The opposition forces called to create a civil government as soon as possible and launched a strike to oppose the military council. The sides had been trying to come to a mutually acceptable decision for two months, but failed to reach an agreement.

On June 3, the Sudanese police and police tactical units dispersed the protesters in the square facing the main headquarters of the Armed Forces in Khartoum. As a result, ten people died and the tensions exacerbated. Following these events, the opposition refused to continue the talks with the army and announced that all contacts with the military were suspended.

On July 5, Sudan’s Transitional Military Council and opposition forces agreed to create a transitional body consisting of military and civilian members. The new council will operate for at least three years until a general election is held. The parties also agreed to form an independent government and launch an investigation into the acts of violence that took place in the past weeks.