Ousted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir Transferred for Medical Treatment
In a significant development, the ousted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, aged 80, has been transferred along with former Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein and former Youth and Sports Minister Youssef Abdel Fattah to Merowe in northern Sudan for medical treatment. The announcement was made by lawyer Mohamed Al-Hassan Al-Amin from al-Bashir’s defense team, highlighting the urgency of their health conditions and the complications of their previous location in Omdurman.
The transfer follows the earlier relocation of former Vice President Bakri Hassan Saleh to the same military hospital three weeks ago due to health issues. Al-Amin explained that the move was necessitated by the need for better medical care and the difficulties posed by security restrictions in Omdurman, which hindered access to necessary medications.
Al-Bashir and his companions had been detained under a security decision, rather than a judicial one, after the police released many former regime detainees in April 2023. They were required to sign a pledge to appear before the court when called, contingent on improved security conditions in the country.
A group of former senior army officers, identifying themselves as “comrades in arms,” recently petitioned the head of the Sovereignty Council and army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to facilitate the transfer due to the deteriorating health of Al-Bashir and his fellow detainees. Previously, they had spent ten months in Alia Hospital under military guard, enduring severe conditions, including being shelled during the ongoing conflict involving the Rapid Support Forces.
The defense team revealed that al-Bashir and his aides narrowly escaped death on two occasions due to shelling. Medical reports from Wadi Saydna Hospital recommended their transfer to Merowe for further tests and specialist consultations, underscoring the precarious state of their health.
Al-Bashir, along with 17 military and civilian personnel, has been facing charges related to the military coup that brought him to power in 1989. His trial commenced in July 2020, but the recent upheaval in Sudan has complicated legal proceedings, leading to the release of many former regime members under the condition of appearing in court when required.
