South Africa: Bashir Flees South Africa - Report

President Bashir of Sudan, right, with his peers, including, from left Presidents Robert Mugabe and Jacob Zuma.
15 June 2015

President Omar al-Bashir left the African Union summit early on Monday and flew out of South Africa from Pretoria's main air force base, a leading South African military correspondent reported.

His reported departure came as three judges of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria were considering an application from a civil society organisation to have him arrested.

Police were reported to have accompanied Bashir's convoy from the summit in Johannesburg to the Waterkloof Air Base, south-east of Pretoria. This was despite an interim interdict issued on Sunday ordering the South African government not to allow him to leave.

Erika Gibson, defence correspondent of Beeld newspaper, reported on Sunday that Bashir's aircraft had moved from Johannesburg's main international airport to the air base.

On Monday she tweeted: "Bashir crew just obtained final clearance for departure. He's not going to wait for court's decision"

Minutes later she continued reporting: "Jet cleared for take-off. Lined up for departure. Should leave shortly," then "Jet moving to movement control where passengers normally board," and finally: "Jet has taken off heading north. He has gone."

Gibson is a reporter with a military background who has in the past been shown to have good contacts within the South African Air Force.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.