President Bashir undergoes knee surgery in Khartoum

May 11, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir underwent a“ successful” knee surgery at the prestigious Royal Care hospital in Khartoum, the presidency announced on Sunday.

Bashir’s press secretary, Emad Sid Ahmed, said in a statement to official news agency (SUNA) that Bashir is now in a good condition and recovering well after the surgical operation, which was conducted by a Sudanese medical team.

The 70-year-old president underwent throat surgery in Qatar more than a year-and-a-half ago and another one a few months afterwards in Saudi Arabia.

A year ago, he secretly flew again to Saudi Arabia again for a medical checkup, according to a presidential source at the time.

Bashir’s brother, Abdullahi al-Bashir, a physician, later admitted that his younger sibling was suffering from a throat tumour, but insisted that medical tests proved that the swelling is benign.

The president was reportedly advised at the time by doctors to cut his public appearances and speeches.

(ST)