Sudanese Ex-Leader Omar al-Bashir Transferred for Medical Treatment

Former Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir has been transferred from the capital to Merowe for medical treatment. His lawyer reported that al-Bashir, 80, was moved to a detention center and then to a hospital. Facing multiple charges, al-Bashir's condition is not critical but requires further medical attention.

Former Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir has been moved from Sudan's conflict-ridden capital to Merowe for medical treatment, his lawyer confirmed on Tuesday. The 80-year-old, who was overthrown in a 2019 uprising and subsequently jailed, was taken to a detention center in Merowe before being admitted to a local hospital, according to lawyer Mohamed Hassan al-Amin.

'He needs medical follow-up and periodic check-ups. Sometimes he has some complications, which requires follow-up. But his condition is not critical now,' Amin stated. 'The causes of some symptoms have not been diagnosed yet, and they may require treatment outside Sudan,' he added. This transfer marks the first time Bashir has been moved from the capital.

Bashir was previously convicted of corruption and illicit financing and faced additional legal trials before the conflict erupted in April 2023. He had most recently been detained at an army base in Omdurman, part of Sudan's greater capital, which has experienced fierce fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). On Tuesday, three witnesses reported RSF shelling in Omdurman neighborhoods. In contrast, Merowe, located approximately 340 km (210 miles) to the north, has remained largely untouched by the conflict.

Bashir is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide related to the Darfur conflict that escalated in 2003. Abdelrahim Mohamed Hussein, a former minister facing an ICC warrant, has also been moved to Merowe for health reasons, according to Amin. Another senior official, Bakri Hassan Saleh, one of Bashir's close confidants during his three decades in power, had already been transferred to Merowe hospital.