Prosecutor Jack Smith resigns

Smith served as chief prosecutor of the specialised Prosecution at The Hague, who filed charges against former KLA leaders.

News of Smith's departure came on a note in a judicial document that Justice Department officials handed over to the US District Court's Aileen Canon on Saturday afternoon, asking him not to extend a court order she issued last week, which temporarily prohibits the publication of the final report Smith handed over to the directors of the department on Tuesday.

Justice Department officials say Canno's order has exceeded its authority and that it has no power to prevent Attorney General Merrick Garland from publishing Smith's findings. Its ban on the discovery of Smith's report is valid until Monday.