Sudan’s Taha back home after long stay in Saudi Arabia

Feb 2, 2006 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese Second Vice-President Ali Osman Taha returned home Thursday evening from Saudi Arabia after performing hajj (pilgrimage) and getting assured of the health of members of his family after the traffic accident that occurred to them in Saudi Arabia before hajj.

Presidential Press Secretary Mahjoub Fadl Badri said in a statement to the state-run news agency SUNA that members of the family of the Vice President have recovered and will return home in two weeks.

The Taha’s daughter had been touched in a traffic accident during the pilgrimage.

Rumours circulated in Khartoum that Taha was sulking president al-Bashir and had refused to come back home to attend the African summit because of his marginalization within the ruling National Congress Party since the death of the late First Vice-President John Garang.

(ST)