Sudan Detains Former Bashir Regime Official Ahmed Haroun, Wanted by ICC for Darfur Atrocities

The Sudanese Armed Forces have apprehended a high-ranking Islamist official from the era of former dictator Omar Al Bashir. Ahmed Haroun, who chaired Sudan's National Congress Party during its rule, had been in hiding for several years. He is sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes and genocide committed in the Darfur region in the early 2000s, charges he has denounced as politically motivated.

In a televised interview on Saturday, Mr. Haroun stated that while the National Congress Party and the army might not be politically aligned, they shared a common goal in Sudan's civil war against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Two officials from the National Congress Party confirmed Mr. Haroun's arrest, though the reasons for the army's action against an ally remain unclear. Neither the SAF nor the ICC has issued an immediate statement.

Operatives from the Islamist movement have indicated their involvement in supporting the army's advances against the RSF during the ongoing conflict, which has spanned over three years and resulted in widespread ethnic killings, famine, and mass displacement. The United Nations has described the conflict as the world's most severe humanitarian crisis, drawing in international powers.

The National Congress Party has its roots in Sudan's Islamist movement, which held significant influence during the Al Bashir regime. Mr. Haroun was among numerous Sudanese officials arrested in 2019 following an uprising and military coup that ended Al Bashir's rule. However, he managed to escape from Kobar Prison during the civil war's turmoil and subsequently expressed support for the SAF.

The ICC has charged Mr. Haroun with over 40 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. These charges include murder, rape, torture, attacks on civilians, and destruction of property, allegedly perpetrated in Darfur in the early 2000s when he held positions as interior minister and later humanitarian minister. In January 2024, the United States offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture. The US State Department has identified Mr. Haroun as instrumental in recruiting, financing, and arming the Janjaweed militia, which was implicated in atrocities in Darfur during the 2000s, including murder, rape, torture, forced deportations, and other inhumane acts.