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
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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.



Lebanon's Speaker Sets Jan. 9 Date to Elect President

FILED - 01 October 2020, Lebanon, Beirut: Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri speaks during a press conference. Photo: Hassan Ibrahim/Lebanese Parliament/dpa
FILED - 01 October 2020, Lebanon, Beirut: Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri speaks during a press conference. Photo: Hassan Ibrahim/Lebanese Parliament/dpa
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Lebanon's Speaker Sets Jan. 9 Date to Elect President

FILED - 01 October 2020, Lebanon, Beirut: Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri speaks during a press conference. Photo: Hassan Ibrahim/Lebanese Parliament/dpa
FILED - 01 October 2020, Lebanon, Beirut: Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri speaks during a press conference. Photo: Hassan Ibrahim/Lebanese Parliament/dpa

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri set a Jan. 9 date for lawmakers to elect the country's president, the state news agency (NNA) reported on Thursday.
Lebanon has not had a president or a fully empowered cabinet since October 2022 due to a power struggle.

Israel's offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon had prompted a renewed bid by some leading Lebanese politicians to fill the two-year-long presidential vacuum.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday under a deal brokered by the US and France, allowing people in both countries to start returning to homes in border areas shattered by 14 months of fighting.

Berri has said that, once there's a ceasefire, he supported the election of a president who doesn't represent "a challenge" to anyone.

The presidency is decided by a vote in Lebanon's 128-seat parliament. No single political alliance has enough seats to impose its choice, meaning an understanding among rival blocs is needed to secure the election of a candidate.