Sudan’s al-Bashir dismisses peace advisor

KHARTOUM, Nov. 29, 2003 (dpa) — Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir Saturday dismissed his closest advisor on peace Ghazi Salah el-Din, the state- run Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported.

No reason was given, but an opposition figure speaking on condition of anonymity attributed the decision to a power struggle among government members.

Salah, a dentist and brother-in-low of Mubarak el-Fadhil, assistant to the president, had been at odds with al-Bashir since Vice President Ali Osman Taha signed security and military agreements with Sudan People’s Liberation Army rebels in Naivasha last month.

Al-Bashir in August appointed Taha as chairman of the Higher Committee of Peace, paving the way for Taha to take over the issues of peace from Salah El Din.