Sudan distances itself from Bin Ladin’s statement

April 24, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese government said it was not concerned by al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden’s comment on preventing foreign troops’ deployment in Darfur.

“The Sudanese government is not concerned by such remarks or any other remarks made by any party on Darfur,” foreign ministry spokesman Jamal Ibrahim said Monday in the first official declaration on Bin Laden’s remarks.

The al-Qaida leader, who tops the U.S. list of most wanted terrorists around the world, said in an audio-tape broadcast on the al-Jazeera network Sunday that violence in Darfur “is part of the Crusades’ war on Muslims.”

Bin Laden called on his disciples to prepare for a “long war” against “the Crusader thieves” in west Sudan.

Ibrahim stressed the Sudanese government’s opposition to the deployment of international forces in Darfur without its consent and before reaching a final peace agreement.

He said his country is on the threshold of achieving a peaceful settlement to the Darfur crisis through ongoing talks at the Nigerian capital Abuja, where peace negotiations have been going on under African sponsorship.

He went on to say that Sudan had affirmed that it would cooperate with the international community as well as abiding by all international accords. He also affirmed that Sudan would not accommodate any terrorists.

The Sudan Liberation Movement, the biggest armed group in Darfur, also lashed out at Bin Laden, accusing his terrorist network of involvement in the genocides that occurred in the war-torn province.

The movement said in a statement Monday that Bin Laden is supporting the Khartoum government in its bid to prevent the deployment of international forces to protect civilians from massacres.

“Bin Laden’s opposition to the dispatch of international troops to Darfur is a direct call for exterminating the people in Darfur,” the statement said.

(UPI/ST)