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| Wanted Sudan leader Bashir flies out of South Africa | Wanted Sudan leader Bashir flies out of South Africa |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted for war crimes, has left South Africa, pre-empting a court ruling over an international warrant for his arrest. | Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted for war crimes, has left South Africa, pre-empting a court ruling over an international warrant for his arrest. |
| The Pretoria High Court was due to decide whether he should be handed over to the International Criminal Court which charged him with the crimes. | The Pretoria High Court was due to decide whether he should be handed over to the International Criminal Court which charged him with the crimes. |
| Mr Bashir was in Johannesburg for an African Union (AU) summit. | Mr Bashir was in Johannesburg for an African Union (AU) summit. |
| A news conference will be held in Sudan's capital upon his arrival. | A news conference will be held in Sudan's capital upon his arrival. |
| On Sunday, a judge barred Mr Bashir from leaving until the arrest application had been considered. | On Sunday, a judge barred Mr Bashir from leaving until the arrest application had been considered. |
| Mr Bashir is accused of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide during the Darfur conflict. | Mr Bashir is accused of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide during the Darfur conflict. |
| The UN says that about 300,000 people in Sudan have died and more than two million have fled their homes since fighting began in 2003. | The UN says that about 300,000 people in Sudan have died and more than two million have fled their homes since fighting began in 2003. |
| Government forces and allied Arab militias are accused of targeting black African civilians in the fight against rebels. | |
| Bashir ruling live | Bashir ruling live |
| Rise of Omar al-Bashir | Rise of Omar al-Bashir |
| At the hearing at the Pretoria High Court, the lawyer representing the South African government said Mr Bashir's name was not on the list of passengers who took off earlier. | |
| But the Sudanese state minister for information has told Reuters news agency that Mr Bashir's plane was expected to land in Khartoum at about 18:30 local time (1530 GMT). | But the Sudanese state minister for information has told Reuters news agency that Mr Bashir's plane was expected to land in Khartoum at about 18:30 local time (1530 GMT). |
| It is unlikely that South Africa will face sanctions for allowing Mr Bashir to leave the country even after a court order barred him from doing so, says the BBC's Nomsa Maseko in Pretoria. | |
| A number of African countries have in the past decided not to co-operate with the ICC. The court has been accused of racism and bias against African leaders. | |
| So as things stand, Mr Bashir appears to have left South Africa with the blessing of the African Union, our correspondent says. | So as things stand, Mr Bashir appears to have left South Africa with the blessing of the African Union, our correspondent says. |
| On Monday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the ICC's warrant for the arrest of Mr Bashir must be implemented by countries who have signed up to the court's statutes. | On Monday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the ICC's warrant for the arrest of Mr Bashir must be implemented by countries who have signed up to the court's statutes. |
| As a member of the ICC, South Africa is obliged to arrest anyone charged by the court. | As a member of the ICC, South Africa is obliged to arrest anyone charged by the court. |
| Before the summit, the ICC issued a press statement urging the South African government "to spare no effort in ensuring the execution of the arrest warrant". | Before the summit, the ICC issued a press statement urging the South African government "to spare no effort in ensuring the execution of the arrest warrant". |
| The Hague-based court has yet to comment on reports of Mr Bashir's departure. | |
| Kenneth Roth, the director of advocacy group Human Rights Watch, tweeted that South Africa appeared to have "shamefully flouted" the ICC and domestic court to free a man "wanted for mass murder of Africans". | |
| Darfur conflict: Key points | Darfur conflict: Key points |