Sudan says al-Bashir under house arrest in Khartoum

KHARTOUM

Deposed President Omar al-Bashir is under house arrest in Khartoum, the commander of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSP) has confirmed.

"Al-Bashir has not left the country," Lieutenant-General Mohamed Hamdan Daqlo said in televised statements.

On Thursday, the Sudanese military ousted al-Bashir, who ruled Sudan since 1989, following months of popular protests against his rule.

The military also established a military council to run the country for a transitional period of two years.

Daqlo said al-Bashir's crackdown on peaceful protests "has prompted the armed forces to take over the situation and depose him".

Asked about al-Bashir's trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC), Daqlo said "the decision was up to the Sudanese people".

"Sudan is about to form a new elected government, which will decide the shape of the next stage and will try every criminal who has committed any crime against the Sudanese people, including al-Bashir himself," he said.

The ICC has issued two arrest warrants for al-Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the conflict in the western province of Darfur.