Bashir fights back

Sudan | Sudan’s president won’t take a world court arrest warrant—the first ever against a sitting head of state—sitting down | Jamie Dean

Salah Malkawi/ Getty Images

Brandishing a tribal sword and a broad smile, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir scorned his indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and threatened to cut off foreign aid to scores of citizens languishing in the country's western region of Darfur.

Bashir's threat before a cheering crowd of supporters wasn't empty: The president expelled 13 of the largest aid groups in Darfur after judges at The Hague-based international court issued a warrant March 4 for the leader's arrest for war crimes. Bashir says the foreign humanitarian groups collaborated with the court, a charge aid organizations deny.

Bashir's indictment includes charges of orchestrating mass murder, rape, and torture in campaigns against civilians in Darfur. More than 300,000 people have died and as many as 3 million have fled their homes in the region since militia-led attacks began in 2003.