Sudan Crisis: War Crimes Suspects Released Amidst Chaos

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By James Gregory and James Copnoll BBC News Apr 26, 2023 04:43 GMT

Updated 47 minutes ago

Image source, Getty Images

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Haroun (left) in 2010 when he was the governor of South Kordofan

A former Sudanese politician wanted for alleged crimes against humanity said he and other former officials are no longer in prison – following reports of an outbreak.

Ahmed Harun was among those detained in Kober Prison in the capital, Khartoum, facing charges by the International Criminal Court.

It appears that the cease-fire between the warring military factions is still largely holding.

But there are doubts about the commitment of both sides to a lasting peace.

The conflict – which began on April 15 – stemmed from a bitter power struggle between the leaders of Sudan’s regular army and a rival paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces.

Reports surfaced this week of a prison break in Kober – where Ahmed Haroun was serving time alongside Omar al-Bashir, Sudan’s former president.

On Tuesday, Haroun confirmed in a statement broadcast on Sudan’s Taiba TV that he and other Bashir loyalists who served under him had left prison, but said he would be willing to appear in court whenever he was employed.

In an audio message circulated on social media, Haroun claimed that the group had received assistance from prison guards and the armed forces.

“We made a decision to protect ourselves because of the lack of security, water, food and treatment, as well as the death of many prisoners in Kober,” Haroun told the Al-Sudani daily, which is linked to Bashir.

Harun was a key player in the Sudanese government’s brutal response to two long and unresolved civil wars – in Darfur (from 2003) and South Kordofan (from 2011).

He was indicted by the International Criminal Court in 2007 for his alleged role in atrocities in Darfur – described as the first genocide of the 21st century – while he was the country’s interior minister.

He faces 20 counts of crimes against humanity and 22 counts of war crimes, including murder, rape, persecution and torture. He denies the charges against him.

Mukesh Kabila, former UN coordinator in Sudan, called Harun “extremely dangerous” and “unreliable,” adding that he had “many followers who have been dormant for the past two decades.”

“This, along with other armed groups now coming out of the woodwork, is already changing the dynamics in ways that are hard to predict at the moment – but it’s really bad news,” he told the BBC World Service’s Newshour programme.

Haroun was arrested in 2019 after the army overthrew veteran President Al-Bashir amid mass protests. The country has seen repeated unrest and many other coup attempts since then.

Al-Bashir, 79, was serving a prison sentence for corruption. He is now in a military hospital in police custody – having been transferred there before the latest hostilities broke out, according to the Sudanese army.

The International Criminal Court has also accused him of leading a campaign of mass murder and rape in the Darfur region of Sudan, which he denies.

Sudan’s Interior Ministry has accused the RSF of storming five prisons in the past few days – including Cooper, which Bashir has already left.

The police said that the raid resulted in the deaths of two prison guards, and that the RSF released all those detained there.

The RSF denied the allegations, claiming instead that the military “forcibly vacated” the facility as part of a plan to restore al-Bashir to power.

An army spokesperson denied any military involvement, saying that the army “has no oversight over the prisons”. He said the army is coordinating with the police to return inmates to prisons.

But many Sudanese believe this is just the latest example of General Burhan, the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces, trying to bring Bashir’s Islamist aides back into the forefront of Sudanese politics.

Both Germany and France say all of their citizens have now left the country.

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Hundreds of evacuees from Sudan arrived in Saudi Arabia by boat

Volker Perthes, the UN special envoy to Sudan who is currently in the country, said on Tuesday that the 72-hour truce in the fighting appeared to be holding.

However, gunfire and explosions continued to be reported in Khartoum and the nearby city of Omdurman.

“There is still no definitive indication of that [side] ready to negotiate seriously, which indicates that they both believe that a military victory over the other is possible,” said Mr. Perthes.

Mr. Perthes said that many homes, hospitals and other public facilities were damaged or destroyed in residential areas near the army headquarters and the airport in the capital, Khartoum.

The ceasefire, which began at midnight local time (22:00 GMT) on Monday, is the latest attempt to stabilize the country after fighting broke out nearly two weeks ago.

Reuters reported that the White House said on Wednesday that the ceasefire should be extended to address the humanitarian crisis.

National Security spokesman John Kirby confirmed the death of a second American in Sudan on Tuesday.

At least 459 people have died in this conflict so far, although the actual number is believed to be much higher.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it expects more deaths due to lack of services.

She added that more than 60% of health facilities in Khartoum are closed.

There is also concern for those left behind, with an estimated 24,000 pregnant women currently in Khartoum expected to give birth in the coming weeks.

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Watch: ‘I wish the UK would save us, but I gave up’ – Glasgow family tells story of perilous journey from Sudan

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