Sudan decides to hand al-Bashir over to ICC

SANAA, Aug. 12 (YPA) – Sudan foreign ministry announced  that Khartoum will hand Omar al-Bashir over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) along with other officials wanted over the Darfur conflict, according to AFP.

This came after Sudanese Foreign Minister Maryam Sadiq al-Mahdi held talks with with the ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, on Tuesday in Khartoum, where he also met with the country’s justice minister and public prosecutor.

During the meeting, she emphasized cooperation with the ICC to bring  justice for the victims of Darfur war, expressing readiness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work to facilitate its tasks in accordance with the terms of the memorandum of understanding to achieve common goals.

In his part, Khan stressed the importance of taking “practical steps to redress the victims of the war in Darfur and hold accountable those responsible for the international crimes committed against them”.

Sudan announced its accession to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court about a week ago, a move welcomed by the United States State Department.

These actions are seen as likely to lead to the trial of former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir before the International Tribunal, which accused his of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly with regard to the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan.

E.M