Khartoum Discusses With Cairo Extradition of Bashir’s Aides

Sudan’s former president Omar Hassan al-Bashir sits inside a cage at the courthouse where he was facing corruption charges, in Khartoum, Sudan September 28, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/File Photo
Sudan’s former president Omar Hassan al-Bashir sits inside a cage at the courthouse where he was facing corruption charges, in Khartoum, Sudan September 28, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/File Photo
TT

Khartoum Discusses With Cairo Extradition of Bashir’s Aides

Sudan’s former president Omar Hassan al-Bashir sits inside a cage at the courthouse where he was facing corruption charges, in Khartoum, Sudan September 28, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/File Photo
Sudan’s former president Omar Hassan al-Bashir sits inside a cage at the courthouse where he was facing corruption charges, in Khartoum, Sudan September 28, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/File Photo

Sudan’s Attorney General Mubarak Othman discussed with Egyptian Prosecutor General Hamada Al-Sawy the extradition of a number of aides to former Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, who had sought refuge in Egypt.

Informed sources in the Sudanese Public Prosecution told Asharq Al-Awsat that the most important figures demanded by Khartoum was the former Sudanese intelligence chief, Salah Abdullah, also known as Gosh, in addition to other members of the ousted regime, who had fled to Egypt after Bashir’s downfall in April 2019.

The Egyptian authorities had refused a request by the former Sudanese Attorney General, Taj Al-Sir Al-Haber, to extradite Gosh. Consequently, Khartoum began procedures for his extradition through Interpol in criminal reports pertaining to terrorism, financial corruption and torture of political detainees during the outbreak of popular protests in Sudan in 2018.

The sources noted that serious discussions took place between the Sudanese Public Prosecutor and his Egyptian counterpart, which resulted in a “major breakthrough.”

They added that the Egyptian side expressed its “full readiness” to discuss cooperation in handing over the wanted persons to the Sudanese authorities.

Othman’s visit to Cairo came at the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart, during which they signed several memoranda of understanding, including an agreement on training Sudanese prosecutors in the Egyptian criminal investigation institutes.

The sources reported that Othman returned to Khartoum with high optimism over cooperation with Egypt on the file of wanted persons, although Cairo did not issue an official confirmation in this regard.



Palestinian President Names Interim Successor If He Has to Leave Post

FILE PHOTO: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
TT

Palestinian President Names Interim Successor If He Has to Leave Post

FILE PHOTO: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has named a temporary successor who would take over from him should he die or leave his post, addressing concerns of a possible power vacuum following his departure.
In a statement released late on Wednesday, Abbas said the chairman of the Palestinian National Council should serve as interim president for no more than 90 days, during which presidential elections should be held.
The current chairman of the Palestinians' top decision-making body is Rawhi Fattouh, 75, who also served briefly as a stop-gap leader following the death of Yasser Arafat in 2004.
Abbas, 89, has been Palestinian president since 2005 and has had regular health problems in recent years, prompting repeated speculation on who might replace him when he finally stands aside.
He does not have a deputy and a source told Reuters earlier this month that Saudi Arabia had pressed him to appoint one.
Wednesday's announcement clears up uncertainty over what should happen when he dies, but Fattouh was not named as his deputy, meaning there was still no visibility on who might replace Abbas in the long term.
Israel's Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, a member of the inner security cabinet, told a group of foreign reporters this week that the Israeli army would take over the West Bank if someone from the militant group Hamas tried to become president.
Abbas was elected to a four-year term in 2005, but no presidential ballot has been held since.