A South African court has issued an interim order preventing Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir from leaving the country.

The court says President Bashir will have to stay until the court hears an application later on today on whether he should be handed over to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the BBC reported.

Mr Bashir is in Johannesburg for an African Union summit. He faces ICC war crimes and genocide charges over the Darfur conflict.

The ICC has called on South Africa to arrest him. However he was welcomed by South African officials when he arrived in Johannesburg on Sunday.