Sudan describes reports on Bashir arrest warrant as 'media hype'

The Sudanese presidency described news reports that a South African court had issued an arrest order against President Omar al Bashir, who is in Johannesburg for an ordinary African Union summit, as "media hype".

In a telephone interview with the state TV, presidential spokesman Mohamed Hatem Soliman said Bashir attended a closed session of the AU summit on Sunday and will participate in the opening session later in the day.

The South African government had welcomed Bashir and everything is going as per visit schedule, the spokesman said.

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant in 2009, accusing Bashir of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the conflict in Darfur.

He denies the charges.

South Africa is an ICC member state.