Hamas denies media claims it has withdrawn from Sudan, paper

BBC Monitoring Newsfile

By Al-Anba, a pro-governmental daily newspaper

KHARTOUM, Nov. 15, 2003 — An official from the Palestinian militant group Hamas branch in Sudan has denied claims by a newspaper yesterday that Hamas was withdrawing from Sudan and the office director had left for another Arab country that had agreed to host him.

In a statement to [Khartoum-based newspaper] Al-Anba, the Hamas official in Khartoum said the claims were untrue and mere fabrication stressing that the Sudanese government did not exert any pressure on them [to leave]. He added that Hamas is carrying out its work as usual.

The official, who preferred to remain anonymous, said the former director of the office left for Yemen as part of routine transfers involving office directors, after he spent a period of four years in Sudan and explained this was the set period for the assignment.

The source said the office in Khartoum is being run at present by the charge d’affaires until a new director is appointed.