Sudan frees prominent Islamic leader-party officer

CAIRO, Oct 13 (Reuters) – Sudan released on Monday prominent Islamist leader Hassan al-Turabi, a former ally of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir until his arrest in 2001, an official of the opposition Popular National Congress (PNC) party said.

“He has just been released,” PNC official Mohamed al-Amin Khalifa told Reuters by telephone from Khartoum, saying Turabi was on his way to his residence in the Sudanese capital.

Sudan pledged in August to release all political detainees, a move analysts said could be an attempt to widen support for the government while peace talks with the main southern rebel group to end a 20-year-old civil war are underway in Kenya.