Khartoum renews accusations over Juba’s support to rebels but SPLM6N denies
April 24, 2917 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Monday has renewed accusations that South Sudan’s government of continuing to harbour and support the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N, warning Juba against interference in Sudan’s internal affairs.
But, the SPLM-N has denied the claim saying the last time they went to Juba was at the request Khartoum government last year.
In a statement seen by Sudan Tribune, NISS said the “Sudanese government continued to extend its hands to support South Sudan since its secession and during all critical phases it went through”, pointing to the humanitarian aid provided to South Sudan’s people and refugees who fled to Sudan.
“However, South Sudan’s government responded to this humanitarian cooperation by continuing to provide full support and harbour to the Sudanese rebel movements according to documented information including United Nations reports” read the statement
The statement added that “since last Wednesday to 22 April, South Sudan’s President and his First Vice President and a number of senior executive and security officials have engaged in intensive meetings with the so-called Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) in Juba”.
The NISS pointed out that leaked information disclosed that South Sudan’s leadership has pushed SPLM-N leaders to “prolong the war in Sudan”, demanding South Sudan government to “immediately refrain from interfering in Sudan’s affairs”.
“We are surprised at how could a head of state and his first deputy, despite the outbreak of war in their country and the acute shortage of food that is hitting all its parts, not be fully devoted to resolve their internal issues but rather seek to ignite the flames of sedition in our country which seeks to fold the page of war which was ignited by foreign sinful hands,” further read the statement/
Juba has been always accused by the Sudan, various observer groups and armed oppositions of harbouring Sudanese rebels and in fact letting them fight alongside its own force. The government in Juba has always denied the accusations.
SPLM-N DENIAL
Reached for comment on the fresh accusations, SPLM-N Secretary General Yasir Arman who was speaking to from Addis Ababa where they are holding meetings with the African Union mediation denied the allegation, adding that the statement of the Sudanese government is based on a “fake intelligence report”.
“The NISS’s statement is a fake one, the SPLM-N chairman, the secretary general and the General Izzat Koko, deputy general chief of staff, we are all in Addis Ababa and we have not been to Juba since last year,” Arman said.
He further emphasised they were in Juba at the request of Khartoum, which asked Juba to mediate between them.
(ST)