Sudan has condemned a ruling by the International Criminal Court (ICC) that judges must reconsider whether Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir should face an additional charge of committing genocide in Darfur.

The Sudanese government calls the ruling a political move with destructive intentions. Rebels in the Sudanese region of Darfur have welcomed the ruling, saying it is a victory for the people of the war-torn region.

The United States thinks President al-Bashir should travel to The Hague to face trial.

Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo had appealed against an earlier verdict not to prosecute the Sudanese president for genocide. He is already indicted with seven counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

In 2003, rebels took up arms in Darfur accusing the central government of neglecting the remote region. Khartoum's heavy-handed quelling of the revolt resulted in a humanitarian crisis which the United Nations estimates claimed 300,000 lives.

President al-Bashir has repeatedly dismissed the allegations made by the ICC, the permanent court in The Hague for prosecuting war crimes, as part of a Western conspiracy. The Sudanese government has refused to co-operate with the court.

Photo: Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir - ANP