Sudanese army says it has no connection with LRA rebels

Feb 21, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese army denied a press statement of First Vice-President, president of Southern Sudan government Lt. Gen. saying it is still provides assistance to the Ugandan rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in the southern Sudan.

Ugandan infantry convoy hunt for LRA rebels, near Aruu junction, 40 miles from Juba, southern Sudan, in 2002

Official spokesperson for the armed forces Abbas al-Khalifah said that the armed forces were committed to supporting and implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, something which disproved accusations made by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) that the Sudanese army supported the LRA.

Sudanese First Vice-President said in an interview to BBC, he has no prove but still he believes that Sudanese army support Ugandan rebel Lord’s resistance Army.

“We can do nothing but deny these accusations. We are now working at withdrawing the armed forces from the south and we have already started to do so gradually,” he added.

International Crisis Group on Wednesday 11 January 2006 accused Sudan of supporting the LRA. “There are credible reports that elements of Sudanese military intelligence still aid them,” the report said.

Led by self-proclaimed prophet Joseph Kony, the LRA uprising has uprooted more than 1.6 million people, killed tens of thousands and diverted scarce funds needed to fight poverty in the east African nation of 27 million people.

(ST)