Sudan’s Bashir performs Umrah pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia
July 11, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir, whom the International Criminal Court wants to try on genocide and war crimes charges, arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah pilgrimage, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said.
In Khartoum, the Sudanese presidency kept silent and did not comment on the visit or Bashir would meet the Saudi official.
After years of strained relations, the two countries recently improved their ties when Khartoum accepted to join a Saudi Arabia-led military campaign against rebels in Yemen at the expense of its relation with Iran.
The Sudanese foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour represented his country in the funeral prayers for former Saudi foreign minister prince Saud al-Faisal held on Saturday evening at the Grand Mosque of Makkah.
The prince will be buried in the holy city of Makkah after the prayers in the Grand Mosque.
King Salman, royal family members and international envoys took part in the funeral to offer their condolences.
Prince Saud, who was born in 1940, died in the United States on Thursday.
(ST)