♦ Sudan: This week’s news in brief ♦

A compact weekly digest of Dabanga Sudan's news highlights from Darfur and Sudan

♦  Ali Kushayb held by ICC in The Hague for Darfur war crimes

June 9 – 2020 BANGUI / THE HAGUE The International Criminal Court in the Hague has confirmed that former Darfur janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb, who has been indicted for crimes against humanity, is “in ICC custody”.

In a press statement this afternoon, the ICC confirmed Kushayb’s detention “after surrendering himself voluntarily in the Central African Republic (CAR)”.

On account of an arrest warrant issued by the ICC in April 2007, the former militia leader is suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur. The warrant against Kushayb lists 50 counts on the basis of his individual criminal responsibility.

As reported by Radio Dabanga in February, government negotiators and the Sudan Revolutionary Front rebel alliance agreed during peace talks on the Darfur track in the South Sudan capital of Juba to hand deposed dictator Omar Al Bashir and the other ICC indictees to the court in The Hague.

On February 22, activists reported that in fear of arrest by the transitional government, Kushayb fled his residence in Rahad El Berdi in South Darfur, accompanied by several armed men, and was seen moving to Um Dafug locality where he crossed the border into CAR.

♦  Sudan’s anti-corruption committee seizes funds

June 10 – 2020 KHARTOUM The Sudanese Anti-Corruption Committee instructed funds, accounts, movables, assets and real estate to be seized from several money transfer companies in Sudan. Ousted President Omar Al Bashir received $20 million a month on his personal bank account.

At a press conference yesterday evening, Mohamed El Faki, member of the Sovereign Council and acting chairman of the Empowerment Elimination, Anti-Corruption, and Funds Recovery Committee, announced the dismissal of 651 officials affiliated with the dissolved National Congress Party (NCP) of Al Bashir.

El Faki further reported that Al Bashir received a monthly “special, extra-statutory subsistence allowance” of $20 million on his Omdurman Bank account for years. The bank account held $3 million when Al Bashir was ousted in April 2019.

New criminal charges were filed against Al Bashir for squandering state funds on personal expenses.

The committee also listed the names of people who received money from companies belonging to prominent NCP members, such as well-known media outlets and money transfer companies.

The Anti-Corruption Committee was established by Sudan’s new government in the end of last year, with the aim to purge Sudan from remnants of the Al Bashir regime. In May, a “Sovereign Fund” was set-up for the management of illegally acquired properties seized from officials of the former regime since January this year.

More news from Radio Dabanga:

Cash support project kicks off in Sudan

June 15 – 2020 KHARTOUM The Sudanese Ministry of Finance will start a pilot project next week supporting Sudanese families by giving them direct cash support. 500 SDG will be allocated to each family member. …

Health Ministry: 'Sudan Covid-19 cases exceed 7,000'

June 14 – 2020 SUDAN On Saturday, Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health reported 128 new coronavirus (Covid-19) cases, 140 recovery cases, and 14 deaths, which brings the official total number in the country to …

Darfur security arrangements discussed at Sudan peace talks

June 12 – 2020 KHARTOUM / JUBA The Sudanese government and the armed movements discussed the future security arrangements in Darfur yesterday. The peace talks took place via video conferencing. …

Soldier killed, three women abducted in North Darfur

June 12 – 2020 DUBO EL OMDA A member of the Sudan Armed Forces was shot dead by gunmen in eastern Jebel Marra on Tuesday. In south-west Jebel Marra, a farmer was injured. Speaking to Radio Dabanga, …

European Covid-19 aid arrives in Sudan

June 12 – 2020 KHARTOUM The first flight of the European Humanitarian Air Bridge to support Sudan to tackle the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in Khartoum earlier this week. The arrival of the Boeing 747 …

USCIRF hails Sudan for progress on religious freedom

June 11 – 2020 WASHINGTON DC In its latest annual report, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomed the “positive trajectory” in Sudan, and recommended the country for …

Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan discuss dam in Blue Nile

June 10 – 2020 KHARTOUM Khartoum hosted a tripartite meeting between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan about the Renaissance Dam Ethiopia is building in the Blue Nile, 15 kilometers from the border with Sudan. …

Sudan Armed Forces: ‘Popular Defence Forces dissolved, not absorbed’

June 9 – 2020 KHARTOUM The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) has confirmed that the decision to dissolve the Popular Defence Forces (PDF) was final, rebutting previous media reports that PDF has been reintegrated …

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