Sudanese junta leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has ordered the release of two high-ranking officials from the ousted dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir, citing medical reasons.
General Bakri Hassan Saleh and Brigadier General Youssef Abdel Fattah Mahmoud, both key figures in Bashir’s authoritarian regime, have been in detention since the dictator’s fall in 2019. Their release follows a directive from the judiciary, which recommended they receive medical treatment outside prison.
The decision comes at a time of deep political instability in Sudan. Since the 2021 military coup led by Burhan, the country has been locked in a power struggle between his SAF and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The conflict has devastated the nation, displacing millions and crippling its already fragile institutions.
Bashir’s Brutal Legacy
Omar al-Bashir ruled Sudan with an iron grip for 30 years after seizing power in a 1989 military coup. His dictatorship was marked by widespread human rights abuses, political repression, and war crimes. He oversaw the genocide in Darfur, where government-backed militias massacred an estimated 300,000 people and displaced millions in what the International Criminal Court (ICC) deemed crimes against humanity.
Bashir also waged brutal wars in South Sudan, the Nuba Mountains, and Blue Nile, crushing dissent and using food and aid as weapons against civilian populations.
Beyond Sudan’s borders, Bashir defied international law, hosting jihadist groups—including Osama bin Laden in the 1990s—turning Sudan into a hub for terrorism. His regime also engaged in systematic corruption, siphoning billions in oil revenue while ordinary Sudanese suffered under economic mismanagement and international sanctions.
Despite being the first sitting head of state indicted by the ICC, Bashir remained in power until a mass uprising in 2019, when nationwide protests forced the military to remove him.
A Tactical Release?
The release of Bashir-era officials is likely to fuel speculation about Burhan’s political maneuvering. Critics argue that the move signals a potential reconciliation with elements of the former dictatorship, as Burhan seeks allies amid the ongoing war with the RSF.
Meanwhile, concerns remain over the status of Bashir himself, who has been in custody since his ouster. Now in his 80s and reportedly in poor health, Bashir has largely avoided major prosecution beyond a conviction for illegal possession of foreign currency. Despite repeated appeals from doctors for his release, he remains under detention.
The decision to release Saleh and Mahmoud could have wider implications for Sudan’s political landscape, as the SAF struggles to maintain control while navigating both internal power struggles and external diplomatic pressures.
