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November 12, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese intelligence service on Saturday accused South Sudan of sponsoring the meetings of a new rebel alliance, saying this support represents ’a clear declaration of hostility,’ against Khartoum.
- SPLM-N leader and SRF chairman Malik Agar (photo SPLM-N)
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N), the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), and the two factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur (SLM-AW) and Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) announced the formal launch of a new rebel alliance called the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF).
The alliance of the rebel groups active in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan aims to overthrow the government of the National Congress Party by political and military means. They also warned they would hit the regime everywhere and not only in the regions where they are now.
The joint statement released on 11 November by the rebel groups referred to Kauda, in South Kordofan, not far from the border with the Republic of South Sudan as the place where they held their meeting.
The unnamed director of information at the National Intelligence and security Services (NISS) said Saturday that the recent meetings of SRF rebels were held in Juba, under the sponsorship of South Sudan government.
"The support of the so called Sudan Revolutionary Front by the South Sudan government is a clear declaration of hostility towards the Government of Sudan," the official further said.
Khartoum and Juba trade accusations of supporting rebel groups from both sides, even before the independence of South Sudan. Each side also rejects the allegations of backing their armed opposition groups.
However, since the rebellion of the SPLM-N, the tension between the two capital might destabilise the region as it would hinder the solution of outstanding issues between the two countries, and the settlement of Sudan internal conflicts in Darfur Blue Nile and South Kordofan.
An official at the Sudanese presidency described the SRF as "the arm of foreign forces seeking to dismantle the regime through racist armed groups implementing the agenda of some well indentified circles."
Speaking to the London-based daily newspaper, al-Hayat, the official further minimised the capacity of the rebel coalition to threaten the government in Khartoum, stressing that the regular army control the situation in the Blue Nile, Darfur and fights now the rebellion in South Kordofan to dislodge it from the few positions it controls.
The groups members of the new alliance said they established a joint command to coordinate their military action in the three regions. Analysts expect that SRF rebels would seek first to back SPLM-N forces in the Blue Nile where its chairman Malik Agar lost recently the control of the stronghold Kurmuk town.
The rebel alliance called on the Sudanese opposition forces to consider a comprehensive perspective to change the center of power and to reject partial solutions. They also said they were seeking to work with the "Sudanese forces of change" which supports the idea of regime change in Sudan.
However, Khartoum is expected to seek the support of the opposition forces which in the past showed their hostility to JEM’s attack on the capital in May 2008.
The SRF pledged to bring the war to Khartoum.
(ST)
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