Nairobi/Khartoum  - Sudan's Islamist opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi was freed after two months of imprisonment, news reports said Monday. Authorities gave no explanation for the release of the moderate opposition leader, which came just a few days after the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague issued an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Al-Turabi's state of health deteriorated significantly in the past days, the Sudan Tribune reported, quoting members of his family.

Al-Turabi was detained in January for calling in an interview for al-Bashir's resignation, saying the president was morally responsible for crimes committed in Darfur and should surrender to the ICC in order not to isolate the country internationally.

One day after the interview, al-Turabi, the leader of the Islamist Popular Congress Party and long-time ally of al-Bashir, was arrested. (dpa)