Sudan's military authorities have given initial approval for former President Omar al-Bashir to travel abroad for medical treatment. According to a member of his defence team, Mohamed El-Hassan El-Amin, Bashir requires medical examinations and procedures not available in Sudan. At 82, Bashir is not in critical condition but needs specialist tests for his symptoms. His defence team submitted a request for permission to travel abroad for treatment and received preliminary approval.
However, the decision still requires final authorisation from senior military and political leaders before it can be carried out. El-Amin stated that the defence team is continuing to press authorities to approve Bashir's medical travel and release him from detention for treatment. The approval process is ongoing, with the defence team awaiting the green light from top officials.
Bashir's family has disputed the claim of preliminary approval, stating they have received no official notification. They expressed concern over his health, citing recent medical reports that indicate treatment abroad has become urgent. The family has appealed directly to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sovereign Council and army chief, to allow Bashir to leave Sudan for medical care.
The conflicting accounts leave uncertainty over whether formal government authorisation has been issued. Bashir's lawyer described the approval as preliminary, while his family remains uninformed about any official decision. This development raises questions about the transparency and consistency of the approval process for Bashir's medical travel.
Omar al-Bashir was ousted in April 2019 after months of mass protests that ended his nearly three decades in power. He had seized power in a military coup in 1989. Bashir has remained in detention since the conflict between Sudan's armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces erupted in April 2023. Legal proceedings against him and former officials over the 1989 coup were suspended due to the conflict.
In September 2024, Bashir and several former senior officials were transferred from the Wadi Sayidna military area in Omdurman to a hospital in Merowe due to deteriorating health. Those transferred included former first vice president Bakri Hassan Saleh and former defence minister Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein. Saleh and retired brigadier general Yousif Abdel Fattah were later released on medical grounds in April 2025.
Bashir is currently receiving treatment while in military custody at Aliaa Specialist Hospital in Omdurman. He remains subject to International Criminal Court arrest warrants over allegations related to the Darfur conflict. His potential departure for medical treatment carries wider legal and political implications, with the immediate issue being whether Sudan's military leadership will grant final approval for the trip.
Key points
- Sudan's military authorities grant preliminary approval for Omar al-Bashir's medical travel abroad.
- Bashir's family disputes the claim of preliminary approval, citing a lack of official notification.
- The former president's potential departure carries wider legal and political implications.
