Sudan's president heads abroad, ill health denied

By Mohammed Amin

KHARTOUM

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir left for Saudi Arabia on Monday amid reports he is unwell.

Bashir, 72, cancelled a scheduled appearance at a national dialogue meeting on Sunday.

Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman told reporters the president had suffered a minor illness but declined to give further details.

The official SUNA news agency confirmed that Bashir had left for talks with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour denied the illness reports and said Bashir was in good health.

“Bashir is in his full health and does not complain of any health problems,” Ghandour said.

In 2012, Bashir underwent two operations in Qatar and Saudi Arabia to remove what officials said a tumor in his throat.

Bashir, who came to power in 1989 in a bloodless coup, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in the western Darfur region. He denies the allegations.