South Kordofan governor refutes death rumours

The governor of Sudan's restive South Kordofan state, Ahmed Haroun, has expressed surprise at rumours that he succumbed to a heart attack early Monday. Haroun told Arabstoday in a phone call on Monday morning that he was well, saying the rumours were meant to "cause confusion and uncertainty". South Kordofan is currently witnessing a year-long rebellion allegedly backed by South Sudan and led by former vice president General Abdulaziz Adam al-Hilu. Haroun, along with president Omar al-Bashir, defence minister Abdul Rahim Mohammed Hussein and Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb, are accused by the International Criminal Court of committing war crimes in Darfur. According to local sources, since al-Bashir's recent trip to Eriteria, Haroun didn't appear in the media as he used to do. The rumour emerged hours before a Sudanese delegation headed to Addis Ababa for peace talks with South Sudan. Haroun however accompanied Bashir to Eritrea, though he did not announce it officially, and participated in bilateral talks there. The governor has previously survived from two air crashes. He is close to Bashir and due to his legal background, he held the post of coordinator of People's Police (supporting the Sudanese police). He was then promoted to the position of state minister in the ministry of interior, and then a state minister in the ministry of humanitarian work.