The National Umma Party (NUP) leader al-Sadig al-Mahdi returned to the country on Wednesday evening, bringing to an end 10 months of self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom and Egypt, Alshrooq TV reported.

The prominent opposition leader returned to Khartoum without being arrested despite an arrest warrant issued last month in an attempt to prevent him from returning to the country. 

Sudan’s state security prosecutor had issued an arrest warrant for al-Mahdi and others, citing several articles of the Sudanese Penal Code related to subversive activities to undermine the constitutional order. 

Upon his arrival in the capital, al-Mahdi was received by his son Abdel-Rahman al-Mahdi who is a presidential aide and Abdel-Rahman al-Khadir, head of the NCP’s political sector.

The government was always critical of al-Mahdi alliance with the armed opposition in the country. Al-Mahdi, 83, is the incumbent leader of Sudan Call, a coalition of opposition parties and rebel groups.