SUDAN: Military re-arrest fallen dictator Bashir’s ally

By: Ollus Ndomu

In a dramatic turn of events, Sudanese military has re-arrested Ibrahim Ghandour, an ally of the country’s ousted President Omar al-Bashir.

The re-arrest of Ghandour, a once powerful Bashir ally, comes 27 hours after he was freed from prison on Sunday by the military, a week after a successful bloodless coup.

Ghandour who before falling out of the military’s favour held political positions including head of Sudan’s former ruling National Congress Party and foreign minister, had been freed yesterday together with two security officials who were prominent under the Bashir repressive rule.

The military reconsidered its move of pardoning former president’s allies following a heavy wave of criticism coupled with widespread ant-coup protests.

Hours after Ghandour was released on Sunday, Sudan’s Information Ministry which still pledges allegiance to ousted PM Abdallah Hamdok, said in a strong statement that the coup’s political motive was disastrous.

Peace in Sudan remains fragile following last Monday’s coup which ousted a Hamdok led transitional government.

After Bashir’s 2019 oust, Hamdok led a civilian administration that was characterized with uneasy power-sharing government with military generals who completely seizure power last week.

The military is yet to issue a statement on the fate of Ghandour who was first arrested in 2020 for allegedly plotting to sabotage the transitional government.