Full Breakdown
Sudan’s Former President Omar al-Bashir Moved to Khartoum Hospital as His Team Seeks Permission to Travel Abroad for Treatment
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Transfer to Khartoum Hospital and Request for Medical Travel
On October 1, former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, 82, was moved from a prison-hospital in Merowe to the Aliaa Specialist Hospital in Omdurman, a military-run facility in the Khartoum area. His lawyer Mohamed Alhassan Alameen told Reuters that Bashir requires diagnostic tests and specialist procedures unavailable in Sudan and therefore needs to travel abroad for care. Alameen said the defence team has obtained “preliminary approval” from Sudan’s military authorities, but that final authorisation from senior commanders has not yet been granted. Bashir’s family, in a separate statement, said they have received no official notification of approval and reiterated that his condition has become “critical and urgent,” urging army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to permit his departure.
Background: Ouster, Detention, and Ongoing Conflict
Bashir was removed from power in April 2019 after months of mass protests that ended his three-decade rule, which began with a 1989 military coup. He has remained in detention throughout the civil war that erupted in April 2023 between Sudan’s armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Legal proceedings against Bashir and other officials were suspended when fighting broke out. In September 2024, Bashir and several senior figures were transferred from the Wadi Sayidna military area in Omdurman to a hospital in Merowe for health reasons; two of those officials were released on medical grounds in April 2025.
Official Statements and Legal Status
Sudan’s military has publicly indicated that a request for Bashir’s medical travel has received “preliminary approval,” but senior leaders have not issued a final decision. The International Criminal Court continues to hold arrest warrants for Bashir over alleged genocide and other crimes in Darfur, and Sudanese courts have convicted him of corruption and illicit financing, sentences he is serving while in custody.
International and Domestic Reactions
Prominent Sudanese Islamist figures have called on social media for Bashir’s transfer out of the country, arguing it is necessary for his health. Analysts note that any departure could spark domestic discord and attract international condemnation, given Bashir’s ICC warrants and the sanctions that have long targeted Sudan.
Outlook and Pending Authorization
The defence team is pressing for the final authorisation needed to move Bashir abroad, while his family continues to lobby General al-Burhan. Until senior military and political leaders issue a definitive decision, Bashir’s status remains in military custody at the Khartoum hospital, and his ability to receive the required foreign medical care remains uncertain.
