Sudan signals possibility of military options against South Sudan
KHARTOUM, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) — Sudan on Monday indicated a possibility of using military options against South Sudan in response to what Khartoum terms as “repeated aggressions” by the south on Sudan’s territories.
“Sudan maintains military and security options that can be used to respond to South Sudan’s attack on Buhairat Al-Abiyad in South Kordofan State,” Mustafa Osman Ismail,the Sudanese presidential adviser, told reporters Monday.
Ismail held South Sudan government responsible of the attack on Buhairat Al-Abiyadarea, reiterating that all options, including the military and security ones, were open before Sudan to respond to the “aggression.”
“South Sudan bears the full responsibility in this attack. South Sudan governmentshould stop refuting and lying. It should acknowledge if it has enough courage to bear the responsibility and its consequences,” said Ismail.
“We were attacked and we will no doubt respond to this aggression to defend our land.We will adopt all steps and there is no closed course for us. We will file complaints tothe UN Security Council, the African Union and the committee supposed to monitor thesecurity agreement recently signed between the two countries on refraining fromattacking the border.”
Sudanese army said Sunday that armed clashes broke out between its forces andSouth Sudan forces at Jao area on the border.
“An alliance bringing together South Sudan’s army and rebels from South Kordofanand Darfur on Sunday morning attacked Buhairat Abiyad at Jao town,” said Sudanesearmy in a statement.
The statement accused South Sudan of planning a full attack against the area, pointingout that the fighting was still continuing.
However, South Sudan’s Foreign Minister Nhial Deng on Monday refuted Sudan’saccusations that South Sudan was supporting the armed movements in Sudan.
“South Sudan has nothing to do with what is going on in Sudan,” Deng told reporters inJuba, adding that South Sudan, after gaining its independence, was willing for peacefulcoexistence with neighboring countries.
Sudan and South Sudan signed a security agreement on Feb. 10 to avoid armedconflicts between the two sides.
The agreement, which was reached under the mediation of the African Union in AddisAbaba, stipulated that the two sides should respect sovereignty and territorial integrityof each other, avoid intervention in each other’s internal affairs, reject the use of forceand observe common interests and peaceful coexistence.
Sudan and South Sudan have so far failed to demarcate their joint borders, includingthe affiliation of border areas such as Jao.
Khartoum– Fierce fighting broke out Sunday between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) after the latter advanced 6 km into Sudanese territories.Statements issued by SAF indicated that the SPLA plans to carry out attacks on Sudanese territories began two days ago in the areas of Al-Dar and Dabakaya.SAF lashed out against South Sudan, describing the attacks as a violation of Sudan’s sovereignty.
For its part, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued similar statement condemning the attack, describing it as violation of the Sudanese sovereignty, security and stability.
Sudan reserves the right to retaliate in the manner it deems fit, it said.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Al-Obeid Murawah, told Sudan Vision that the Sudanese Government would lodge a complaint to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the African Union (AU).
“We have asked the South to desist from these acts,” he said, adding “Sudan will launch diplomatic efforts to brief the relevant international organizations and diplomats in Khartoum on the developments.”
SAF spokesperson, Col. Al-Sawarmi Khaled, who read the statement, said the SPLA launched a direct attack from within the southern territories on Buhayret Abyat area and advanced inside Sudanese territories.
The statement accused South Sudan leadership of supporting insurgency in South Kordofan and the Blue Nile as well as Darfur rebels, citing continued link of the SPLA with Divisions (9) and (10) in South Kordofan and the Blue Nile. The support to the rebellion is in the form of supplies and salaries for the two Divisions.
The statement pointed out that South Sudan had sponsored a conference for unification of efforts of rebels in South Kordofan and Blue Nile including Darfur rebels in the town of Bor Yomi on 15 and 16 February.
Col. Al-Sawarmi said SAF has been closely monitoring plans and moves of the South Sudan against Sudan.
“The South Sudan Government assembled Darfur rebels in the area of Manga and Faryang in the Unity State despite Sudan’s call on the South to cease these acts, which are in breach of the recent non-aggression agreement”
“Forces from South Sudan and rebels from South Kordofan attacked at 3 a.m. in the area of Baheyret al-Abayd,” Sudan’s military spokesman Al-Sawarmi Khalid said, according to reports.
“Fighting continues,” he said. “The government in the South is not abiding by the deal.”
In a further sign of continued unrest, the Darfur-based rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) said it had taken control of Jau, a region claimed by both sides, in a joint attack with forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A).
By Mona Al-Bashir and Al-Sammani Awadallah, 1 day 7 hours ago
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