The United Nations Security Council has scheduled an emergency closed-door meeting on the coup in Sudan for Tuesday afternoon. Diplomats said on Monday that the meeting was requested by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Norway and Estonia, according to media reports.

The Sudan army seized power on Monday, dissolving the transitional government hours after troops arrested the prime minister, and thousands flooded the streets to protest the coup that threatened the country’s shaky progress toward democracy, according to Associated Press inputs. Sudan’s military was supposed to hand the leadership of the council that runs the country over to civilians.

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The security forces opened fire on some of the protestors and three were killed, according to the Sudan Doctors’ Committee, which also said 80 people were wounded.

Meanwhile, council members are scheduled to discuss the disputed Abyei region on the Sudan-South Sudan border Wednesday.

The United States administration condemned the military takeover and dissolution of a transitional civilian-led authority and demanded the release of all officials detained in the overnight coup, which led to the arrest of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Price, furthermore, said the administration was watching developments “very closely” and “will not hesitate” to hold those responsible for the coup to account.

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The takeover also drew condemnation from the European Union. It comes more than two years after protesters forced the ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir and just weeks before the military.

Earlier in the day, the Biden administration has suspended $700 million in emergency assistance to the African nation Sudan following the coup.

The full amount of the aid package had been put on “pause” pending a review of the developments in Khartoum, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. 

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said the US was “deeply alarmed at reports of a military takeover” and called for the immediate release of the prime minister and other officials.

“The actions today are in stark opposition to the will of the Sudanese people and their aspirations for peace, liberty and justice,” Jean-Pierre said.

With inputs from the Associated Press