Sudan arrests Islamist opposition leader Turabi

Sudan arrests Islamist opposition leader Turabi

By REUTERS


KHARTOUM: Sudanese security forces arrested Islamist opposition leader Hassan Al-Turabi at his home, a month after Africa's largest country held its first open elections in 24 years, party officials said on Saturday.

"The security authorities came to his house and they took him," Turabi's deputy Ibrahim el-Senoussi told Reuters. "We want to know why."

Turabi, who was close to President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir before a bitter power struggle and split in 1999/2000, has been in and out of jail since he formed his Popular Congress Party.

"They were armed - they came with at least three armed vehicles and other cars - we could not see them all," his daughter Salma Hassan told Reuters. "They left the house here at half past midnight (2130 GMT)."

The arrest could raise tensions post elections. Turabi's party was one of the few opposition groups which participated in the vote, which many others boycotted over fraud concerns.

After the vote Turabi accused Bashir's ruling National Congress Party of rigging the vote.

Also on Saturday tensions rose in Darfur after a government offensive ousted Darfur's most militarily powerful rebel group from their West Darfur stronghold Jabel Moun, killing 108 rebels and taking 61 prisoners, according to the army.

The insurgent Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) dismissed reports saying they had vacated the area days earlier to spare civilians.