Former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted in a 2019 popular uprising, has been transferred from the war-torn capital of Khartoum to the city of Merowe in northern Sudan for medical treatment, according to his defense team.
Bashir’s lawyer, Mohamed Hassan Al-Amin, stated that the 80-year-old former leader, who has been imprisoned along with his allies since his removal from power, was moved to a detention center in Merowe before receiving treatment at a local hospital.
“He requires ongoing health monitoring and routine checkups. Occasionally, he experiences complications that necessitate follow-up care. However, his current condition is not critical,” said Al-Amin.
He also mentioned that some of Bashir’s symptoms remain undiagnosed and may require treatment outside of Sudan. This is the first time Bashir has been moved from the capital for medical reasons.
Bashir was convicted on corruption and illicit financing charges and faced additional trials before the outbreak of war in April 2023. Recently, he had been held at a military base in Omdurman, part of greater Khartoum, where the Sudanese army continues to clash with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Witnesses reported intense fighting in Omdurman on Tuesday, with the RSF shelling residential areas. Meanwhile, Merowe, located 340 kilometers north of the capital, has largely been spared from the ongoing conflict.
Bashir is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide related to the Darfur conflict, which escalated in 2003.
Al-Amin confirmed that former minister Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein was also transferred with Bashir to Merowe for medical treatment. Hussein is similarly wanted by the ICC. Another senior official from Bashir’s regime, Bakri Hassan Saleh, one of his closest allies during his 30-year rule, has also been moved to a hospital in Merowe for care.
