Sudan’s ousted president, Omar al-Bashir, has been moved to a medical facility in northern Sudan after a deterioration in his health, his lawyer revealed Wednesday, September 25.
Al-Bashir, 80, who ruled Sudan with an iron fist for three decades before being deposed in a 2019 popular uprising, has been held at a military facility on the outskirts of Khartoum since war broke out in April last year between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
According to his lawyer, Mohamed al-Hassan al-Amin, the former leader was transferred to a better-equipped hospital in the town of Merowe, located about 330 kilometers (205 miles) north of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, on Tuesday.
“He needs regular checks and follow-ups, but his condition is not critical,” said al-Amin, who noted that al-Bashir suffers from age-related ailments, including high blood pressure.
Transferred Amid Ongoing War in Sudan
Al-Bashir’s relocation comes as the country remains engulfed in a brutal conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023. The war has claimed the lives of at least 20,000 people, with tens of thousands more wounded.
It has also displaced nearly 10 million people, forcing over 2 million to seek refuge in neighboring countries like Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt.
In addition to al-Bashir, Sudan’s former Defense Minister, Abdel-Rahim Muhammad Hussein, who was arrested shortly after al-Bashir’s ousting, has also been moved to the same facility due to heart-related complications, according to al-Amin.
Hussein, like al-Bashir, is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his role in war crimes and genocide committed in the Darfur region.
Al-Bashir’s regime, which endured for three decades despite international sanctions and internal strife, was marked by its oppressive policies.
The ICC indicted al-Bashir and several key officials, including Hussein, on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes stemming from their actions during the Darfur conflict in the early 2000s.
During that period, government-backed forces carried out mass killings, rape, torture, and forced displacement, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 300,000 people and the displacement of 2.7 million others.
Ongoing Conflict and Calls for Justice
Despite the ICC’s indictments, Sudan’s military rulers, who are now engaged in their power struggle with the RSF, have refused to hand over al-Bashir and others wanted by the court.
Al-Bashir and Hussein were being held in Khartoum’s Kober Prison until April of last year when RSF fighters attacked the facility.
Following the assault, the two were transferred to a fortified military base for safety. Another ICC-indicted official, Ahmed Harun, escaped during the attack and has since disappeared, with his whereabouts currently unknown.
As Sudan continues to grapple with its latest conflict, the war has devastated major cities like Khartoum and triggered atrocities that bear grim similarities to those committed during the Darfur conflict.
Mass rape, ethnic killings, and other war crimes have been reported, particularly in Darfur, where the RSF has waged a relentless campaign of violence.
Human rights organizations and international bodies, including the United Nations, have called for accountability, warning that these actions may constitute crimes against humanity.
The ongoing war shows no signs of abating, and the country’s future remains uncertain as millions remain displaced, and the violence impacts countless more.
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