Former Leaders Say They are Free from Prison, Call to Support Sudanese Armed Forces

Ahmed Haroun

April 25, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Former prominent leaders of the former Omer al-Bashir regime announced on Tuesday they are out of Kober prison in Khartoum and voiced their support for the Sudanese army in his battle against the paramilitary forces.

Ahmed Haroun a leader in the regime of ousted President Omar al-Bashir, announced on Tuesday that he and other former officials of the National Congress Party including Ali Osman former vice president had left Kober prison after being detained for four years.

The inmates of the prison were released last Sunday after a wave of protests led by detainees due to the lack of gas and water shortages. Their release followed an attack by the Rapid Support Forces on Al-Huda prison to release some of their tribesmen.

In an audio statement, Haroun said they had left the prison with limited protection after they were unable to obtain a judicial order for their release.

They had decided to take responsibility to protect themselves due to the armed clashes happening around them.

Haroun who is also wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur stated that they were ready to appear before the judiciary when the security situation is restored.

He explained the circumstances leading to their release and spoke about clashes outside the prison, lack of basic necessities, and the cut off of water, electricity, and health care, which caused deaths and injuries among inmates and the penitentiary forces.

Former President al-Bashir and former minister Abdel Rahim Hussein are at the military hospital in Omdurman.

Haroum called on the Sudanese to support the armed forces and urged the Rapid Support Forces members to join the army against what he called a “family project” to rule the Sudan.

In response to Haroun’s statements, the paramilitary forces accused the army leaders of being in alliance with the leaders of the former regime with the aim of undermining the December Revolution.

But the army denied any connection to what happened in Kober prison and other prisons, blaming the Rapid Support Forces for the lack of continuity of public services.

The army said that Omer al-Bashir, former vice-president Bakri Hassan Saleh, former minister Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein, Ahmed Al-Tayeb Al-Khanjar and Youssif Abdel Fattah are in the military hospital which is under the control of the armed forces.

(ST)