ICC Chief Prosecutor Visits Sudan

International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan poses during an interview with Reuters at the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands, March 3, 2022. REUTERS/Christian Levaux
International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan poses during an interview with Reuters at the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands, March 3, 2022. REUTERS/Christian Levaux
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ICC Chief Prosecutor Visits Sudan

International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan poses during an interview with Reuters at the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands, March 3, 2022. REUTERS/Christian Levaux
International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan poses during an interview with Reuters at the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands, March 3, 2022. REUTERS/Christian Levaux

The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor Karim Khan has arrived in Sudan, state media reported in the country still wracked by unrest since the 2019 ouster of its leader accused of genocide.

"The ICC prosecutor and a court delegation will hold a number of meetings with senior officials and he will be visiting the Darfur region," the state news agency SUNA said late Saturday.

Khan's visit will continue until August 25, SUNA said, a year after he visited the country for talks on outstanding arrest warrants over crimes committed during the 2003 Darfur war under ousted president Omar al-Bashir.

His visit this year is the third by an ICC prosecutor to Sudan since Bashir's ouster in April 2019, AFP reported.

Khan's predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, held talks in Sudan in May 2021, bringing the strife-hit country's former leaders one step closer to being tried at The Hague for war crimes.

Sudan has been reeling from deepening unrest, spiraling economic crisis, and a spike in ethnic clashes, including in Darfur, since a military coup last year led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

The October military coup upended a fragile transition put in place following the ouster of Bashir, who was deposed following months of protests.

Bashir remains wanted by the ICC over his role in the 2003 Darfur conflict.

The United Nations says 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million displaced during the conflict.

Since his ouster, Bashir has been held in Khartoum's Kober prison along with several of his former aides who are also wanted by the ICC. He faces charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In April, senior Janjaweed militia leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd al-Rahman, also known by the nom de guerre Ali Kushayb, faced the ICC in its first trial for war crimes in Darfur.



Israel Tightens Restrictions on Palestinian Leadership's Movements

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa chairs a government meeting on Tuesday. (Wafa)
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa chairs a government meeting on Tuesday. (Wafa)
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Israel Tightens Restrictions on Palestinian Leadership's Movements

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa chairs a government meeting on Tuesday. (Wafa)
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa chairs a government meeting on Tuesday. (Wafa)

Israel has intensified its restrictions on the movements of Palestinian Authority (PA) officials, both domestically and internationally, as part of a long-standing policy that often resurfaces during times of heightened political or security tensions—particularly when the PA pursues diplomatic initiatives.

Since the start of the war in Gaza, Israel has ramped up these measures. On Saturday, Israeli authorities barred Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa from visiting several towns in the West Bank, including communities in the Ramallah and Nablus governorates.

According to the Palestinian Commission Against the Wall and Settlements, Israeli forces abruptly blocked Mustafa’s planned tour of Duma and Qusra in the Nablus area, and Burqa and Deir Dibwan near Ramallah.

The commission described the move as part of “a series of discriminatory actions” aimed at “undermining trust between the Palestinian government and its citizens.”

In a separate incident, Israeli authorities reportedly attempted to obstruct Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from traveling to Jordan en route to Syria by delaying approval for his use of a Jordanian military helicopter.

Following days of Israeli stalling and behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts, Abbas ultimately traveled to Amman by land—an unusual step for the Palestinian leader.

Although Palestinian officials initially insisted Abbas would fly, no formal comment was made after he crossed by road. The PA has also remained silent on the ban imposed on Mustafa’s West Bank visit.

It remains unclear whether the restrictions were related to Abbas’ meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa—whom Israel continues to label a “terrorist”—or broader Palestinian diplomatic efforts. Abbas and Sharaa met on Friday.

In recent months, the PA has worked in coordination with European powers, including France, and Saudi Arabia to push for international recognition of a Palestinian state within the framework of a two-state solution.

These moves have drawn sharp criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has repeatedly attacked France’s role and statements by President Emmanuel Macron supporting Palestinian statehood.

Israeli authorities have not issued any official statements regarding the travel restrictions, and Israeli media have mentioned the incidents only in passing, with no formal response from the government.

Observers view these measures as part of Israel’s broader political and military pressure campaign in the West Bank, which has intensified since October 7, 2023.

Over the past months, the Israeli military has carried out near-daily raids, erected new checkpoints, imposed movement restrictions, and increased enforcement measures—such as issuing costly traffic fines—in a sweeping effort to control movement across Palestinian areas.