Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir condemned an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for his defense minister, Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein, as part of an investigation into atrocities in Darfur. Hussein stood by his side during a speech on Saturday.
"Why did they look the other way for all that time and now say this? They want to undermine a symbol of the Sudanese armed forces," Bashir, wearing military uniform, told the crowd. "I say, on behalf of the armed forces, we will defend the dignity and pride of Sudan," he said.