The Sudanese army has detained Ahmed Haroun, the leader of the former ruling National Congress Party, two party officials told Reuters. Haroun is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the conflict in Darfur.
The detention has not yet been officially confirmed by the Sudanese army. The International Criminal Court has also made no immediate comment. It has not been reported where Haroun is being held or why the army took action against him.
Arrest warrant issued in 2007
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Haroun on April 27, 2007. According to the court, he is accused of 20 counts of crimes against humanity and 22 counts of war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur in 2003 and 2004.
The charges outlined in the warrant include murder, persecution, forcible transfer, rape, torture, imprisonment, attacks against civilians, destruction of property and pillaging. Haroun rejects the charges as politically motivated. His case remains at the pre-trial stage because he has not yet been surrendered to the court in The Hague.
“Until Ahmed Haroun is arrested and surrendered to the seat of the court in The Hague, the case will remain at the pre-trial stage,” the International Criminal Court said.Army’s move remains unclear
Haroun served as state minister of the interior during Omar al-Bashir’s rule and later held senior positions in the National Congress Party. He had been in hiding for years.
The day before reports of his detention emerged, Haroun took part in a televised podcast interview. In it, he said that the National Congress Party and the army might not be political allies, but were united in the war against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Islamist officials claim they have been supporting the army’s advance against the Rapid Support Forces. The war in Sudan has continued for more than three years and has led to ethnic violence, famine and mass displacement. So far, there is no information on whether Haroun’s detention will be followed by an official decision to surrender him to the International Criminal Court.
Sources: investing.com