Abbas expresses ”absolute solidarity” with Sudan, calls Sudanese president charged with crimes against humanity ”honorable”

Headline: “In Khartoum for an official three-day visit – [PA] President [Mahmoud Abbas]: We express solidarity with sister [nation] Sudan in light of the unjust sanctions”

Excerpt from PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ speech at a joint press conference with Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir in Khartoum, Sudan.

“At this opportunity, we express absolute solidarity with sister [nation] Sudan in light of the unjust economic sanctions, which target the awaited economic growth. We emphasize here our fixed position, that supports the Sudanese people and the government of Sudan, and we oppose the selective approach against honorable President Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir, who was elected by his people.”

Omar Al-Bashir - Sudanese President who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide. Al-Bashir oversaw the fighting against several armed groups from 2003 to 2008 in Darfur, in which he is accused of targeting members of the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa ethnic groups in a conflict that left roughly 300,000 killed and around three million displaced according to UN estimates. The ICC issued two warrants against him on March 4, 2009, and July 12, 2010, but he has remained at large and in control of Sudan. The ICC charged Al-Bashir with five counts of crimes against humanity – murder, extermination, forcible transfer, torture, and rape; two counts of war crimes – intentionally attacking civilians, pillaging; and three counts of genocide – killing members of targeted ethnic groups, causing them serious bodily or mental harm, and inflicting conditions on them to cause physical destruction. Al-Bashir has been the target of international sanctions from world nations including the US. (Source: https://www.icc-cpi.int/darfur/albashir)