SPLA denies forces have entered Abyei

December 13, 2010 (ABYEI) – Deng Arop Kuol, chief administrator of the oil-producing region of Abyei on Monday denied that any armed forces belonging to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army has entered Abyei town and its surroundings.

On Sunday Colonel Al-Swarmi Khalid Saad, the spokesman of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) controlled by the northern government accused the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) of entering Abyei area with 10 military tanks and 15 Toyota land cruiser vehicles.

Ahkbar Al-Youm newspaper quoted the SAF spokesman, as saying that such developments could lead to conflict.

However, the Abyei administrator in an interview with Sudan Tribune on Monday dismissed presence of any armed forces in the town saying he is not aware of the development.

“I am not aware of this development, there are armed forces a part from Joint Integrated Units in the town. No armed forces have entered the town and even her surroundings,” said Kuol.

Under a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of conflict between north and south Joint Integrated Units of both SAF and SPLA were established. The former rebels the SPLA become one of Sudan’s official armies along with the Khartoum controlled SAF.

“From whom did you hear this information and when did the source of this allegation say was the time the SPLA entered the town. I repeat there are no SPLA forces here,” Kuol said, describing security situation in and around Abyei is relatively calm.

“The security situation as you are an eyewitness [of] is calm. The road is opened. People coming and going to the north, there is no problem at the moment,” he explained.

Colonel Philip Aguer Panyang, the spokesman of the SPLA, in an interview with Sudan Tribune from Juba also denied entrance of the SPLA to Abyei and described accusation made by the SAF as baseless.

“There are no SPLA forces I am aware to have entered Abyei town. This information is not correct. It is a white lie and unfounded allegation,” said Colonel Aguer.

Colonel Deng Athuai, a member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in a joint Area military committee in Abyei also denied entrance of the SPLA forces to the town.

“We have been going around patrolling the town together with members of Sudan Armed Forces in area joint military committee but did not see this. It has not also been reported in our daily meetings. In short, there are no SPLA forces in Abyei. The forces in Abyei now are Joint Integrated Units,” explained the senior military officer.

Tensions are rising between the signatories to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement as the south prepares to hold an independence referendum on January 9. Most observes say that a vote for separation from the north is the most likely outcome.

Abyei, is due to hold a simultaneous referendum to determine whether the contested region will join what is likely to be a newly independent south. But with talks to establish the commision to run the vote and no agreement on who is eligible the United States said on Monday that it would not be possible to hold the vote on time on January 9.

Also on Monday the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) confirmed recent SPLA allegations, denied by the SAF, that the northern air force had bombed southern territory.

(ST)