Yemen arrests teacher from Darfur wanted by Sudan

August 7, 2008 (SANA) — Yemeni authorities have arrested a Sudanese refugee teacher from Darfur wanted by Khartoum for alleged involvement in a recent rebel attack on the Sudanese capital.

Sudan had released a list of wanted rebel officials from the Justice and Equality Movement after a raid on the capital on May 10 that killed more than 200. Haroun was one of the wanted rebels.

Yemeni government hasn’t yet decided whether to extradite Mohamed Abdul-Hamid Haroun, who has lived as a refugee in Yemen since 1993, a security official told Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

A fellow teacher-refugee said a group of Sudanese refugees in Yemen have written to the UNHCR to prevent Haroun’s handover. The refugee also spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing for his safety

The Yemeni government is not the first one to arrest or expel rebel officials from its country. Egypt and United Arab Emirates had arrested and expelled rebels from their country since the May 10 rebel attack on Khartoum.

(ST)