Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has reportedly returned to Khartoum from South Africa, avoiding an arrest despite an order barring him from leaving the country.
Hours after his aircraft left the country, the Pretoria High Court issued an order to arrest Bashir on charges issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), reported the BBC.
An ICC official described the failure to arrest Bashir as 'disappointing.'
The ICC had called on South Africa to arrest Bashir on Sunday, shortly after he arrived in Johannesburg for an African Union (AU) summit. The Pretoria court had directed the Sudanese leader to stay until the court had heard an application on whether he should be handed over to the ICC.
He faces war crimes and genocide charges over the Darfur conflict, but has denied the allegations.
