Sudanese army seize new rebel position in Blue Nile – spokesperson

November 22, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese army said on Tuesday that it has taken control of another position held by the rebel Sudan – People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) twenty days after the capture of the rebel stronghold of Kurmuk in Blue Nile border state.

The Sudanese army, which is fighting the SPLM-N in the Blue Nile since the first of last September, intensified its efforts to clear the region from the rebels pushing them South in a series of attacks hampered by the rainy season.

Al-Swarmi Khaled, spokesperson of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) announced the capture of Deim Mansour stressing they seized two tanks in good conditions, quantities of small arms and ammunition stores in the area.

He also said the army inflicted heavy losses on the ranks of the rebel fighters without elaborating.

Diem Mansour is located at 17 km south of Kurmuk and 25 km from the border with the Republic of South Sudan which Khartoum accuses of backing the rebels.

The military spokesperson further said that SAF troops are still hunting “the remnants” of the SPLM-N in Yabous area which is at the border with the South. The rebels did not yet react to the Sudanese military claims.

The fight between the Sudanese army and the rebel SPLM-N in the border states is seen as dangerous conflict that may ignite a war between Sudan and the news independent South Sudan.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayadrit toured recently Nairobi, Kampala and Addis Ababa to explain the position of his government from the ongoing conflict in the border restive regions and accused Khartoum of supporting the South Sudanese rebels.

Speaking before some 400 police and customs officers integrated into the South Sudan interior ministry following their demobilisation by Khartoum after the independence, Salva Kiir reiterated South Sudan readiness to protect its territories in case of aggression from the Sudanese army.

“The Republic of South Sudan will not go back to war with Khartoum; we are for peace and development but those who beat drums of war in Khartoum know that South Sudan is ready to defend its territories from any aggression,” Kiir said on Tuesday.

In accordance to the 2005 peace deal between Sudanese government and former rebel SPLM, South Kordofan and Blue Nile have to hold a popular consultation and to integrate their fighters in the national army.

However, the allegations of rigging in the South Kordofan elections, and the failure to implement the disarmament process led to the eruption of war in Kadugli between the former partners.

The Sudanese government refuses any foreign mediation to broker the talks with the SPLM-N rebels while the later formed an alliance with three main rebel groups in Darfur region to overthrow the regime in Khartoum.

(ST)