SPLM-N says Khartoum blast proves Sudan continued support to terror groups
February 16, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) Thursday said the recent discovery of a terror hideout in the Sudanese capital sends a “disappointing message” to the international community over Khartoum cooperation on counter-terrorism.
Last Sunday, police authorities confirmed an explosion at a residential building at Arkawit suburb, south of Khartoum. There were no human or material causalities but the small blast led the police to uncover an artisanal laboratory and ingredients for fabricating a bomb.
Also, the police source confirmed the arrest of 26 foreign nationals from Arab countries mainly from Egypt and Syria, besides a Sudanese national.
Commenting on the blast, the SPLM-N Secretary General, Yasir Arman told Sudan Tribune the incident, confirms that “Khartoum remains a base for international terrorism”.
“The incident also confirms that Khartoum continues its double-dealing in the market of terrorism, especially given that terrorism has become a profitable trade for the regime. It sells out old and inert terrorist networks to counter-terrorist agencies, in order to set up new and fresh ones,” he said.
“The world and especially the U.S. should realise there is an umbilical cord that links this regime and the terror that issues from it. That is why the regime has information on terror networks to pass on,” Arman added.
Last January, the former U.S. President Barak Obama partially removed sanctions on Sudan pointing to Khartoum’s good cooperation in counter-terrorism.
He further pointed to the blackout imposed on the imposed on the information about the explosion, adding that they also have learnt that the (NISS) ”has delivered a strong rebuke to the police. It accused them of interfering in a matter not part of its responsibility”.
The Security services banned the local media from publishing news about the incident until the end of the ongoing investigations especially since the three main suspects are still on the run.
CRACKDOWN ON REFUGEES
Arman also blamed Sudanese security services for the launch of a crackdown on Arab refugees and migrants in the Sudanese capital saying they seek to cover up the disclosure of terrorist presence in Sudan.
The regime seeks to cover up what happened through a crackdown on refugees from Arab countries as if they ignore the presence of terrorist elements in the country, he said.
He further warned that “What happened incites hatred against refugees and Sudanese should not allow this because the terrorist is the regime, not the refugees”.
(ST)