Authorities in Sudan say they have arrested the country's former intelligence chief, among others, for an alleged plot to destabilize national security.

Sudan's information minister announced the arrests Thursday, saying former intelligence minister Salah Gosh is among the accused.

He said Gosh is among a number of military and intelligence officers suspected of involvement in the purported plot.

Some witnesses told reporters they saw tanks and armored vehicles moving down a main street of Khartoum overnight, although conditions appeared normal by daytime.

High inflation, along with anger over Sudan's loss of newly-independent South Sudan, have fueled frustration among many ordinary Sudanese.

In June and July, Sudan's security forces arrested hundreds of protesters calling for the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir, who has been in power for the past 23 years.

A spokesman for an alliance of opposition parties told the French news agency Thursday that his alliance was not involved with any alleged plans for a coup.