Sudan president will not attend Saudi summit with Trump

May 19, 2017May 19, 20170

Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, the president of Sudan, listens to a speech during the opening of the 20th session of The New Partnership for Africa's Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Jan. 31, 2009. The partnership's primary objective is to eradicate poverty in Africa and bring long-term and sustainable political, economic, and social change to the continent. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jesse B. Awalt/Released)

KHARTOUM – Sudan’s state news agency says Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has been indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, will not attend the Islamic Summit in Saudi Arabia where U.S. President Donald Trump is the guest of honor.

SUNA news agency says Friday al-Bashir has excused himself from attending the summit Sunday “for personal reasons.” It didn’t elaborate. More than 50 Muslim leaders are expected to attend the summit in Riyadh.

Al-Bashir’s invitation to the summit was a source of unease for U.S. officials.

Washington had shunned al-Bashir, who has been Sudan’s leader since 1989, and is wanted by the ICC on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sudan’s Darfur region.

The U.N. estimates 300,000 people have died in the last decade as conflict raged in the region.

©AP