Al-Bashir visits grave of Sudanese troops killed in Yemen
June 23, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir has praised sacrifices of the Sudanese troops in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, said the official news agency SUNA on Friday
On Wednesday, 17 Sudanese troops who were killed in Yemen have been buried at Al-Baqi in Medina, Saudi Arabia
According to SUNA, al-Bashir on Friday visited graves of “martyrs of duty and the homeland” who were killed in Yemen and buried in Saudi Arabia.
He hailed the role of the Sudanese army in achieving security, stability and peace in Yemen, hailing the army, security services, police and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for defending Sudan’s stability and security.
Al-Bashir is in Saudi Arabia since last Monday. He met with King Salman and the newly appointed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the ongoing split with Qatar.
On Thursday the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the Sudanese president met with the Crown Prince before to return to Khartoum.
However, SPA on Friday said al-Bashir visited the Prophet Muhammad’s mosque in Medina.
The Sudanese army has been participating in the Saudi-led military coalition since 2015 in a regional effort to back the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after he was ousted from the capital Sanaa by the Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels.
Last month, media reports said the Houthis attacked Sudanese forces belonging to the Arab coalition near the Medi desert in Hajjah province, killing and injuring more than 80 Sudanese troops.
However, Sudanese military sources dismissed these reports, saying only 21 were killed, including 4 officers.
Until 13 May, only 8 Sudanese troops have been killed since launching the Saudi-led Operations “Decisive Storm” and “Restoring Hope” in Yemen in 2015.
(ST)