South Sudan’s chief spy holds talks in Khartoum over military coup
October 28, 2021 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has dispatched to Khartoum his head of the internal bureau of the National Security Service (NSS) days after the removal of the civilian-led transitional government.
Kiir, according to a high-level source at the presidency sent General Akol Koor Kuc to the Sudanese capital with a special message of assurance of support and readiness to work with the military leadership and continue to coordinate efforts for peace and stability in the region.
“The president is very concerned about the situation developing in Sudan. If it continues unabated, it can evolve into a regional and global concern,” added the official pointing to the recent regional and international calls to restore the civilian-led government.
“South Sudan does not want to see Sudan falls into the trap of regional conflict. We want to play a positive role because instability in Sudan is also instability in South Sudan”, stressed the sources who declined to be identified.
The chief internal security would underline the need to coordinate efforts with trusted regional leaders to ensure peace and stability is maintained in Sudan, the official said.
General Akol Koor Kuc “is delivering a special message which the two leaders had discussed during a telephone call on Monday. I don’t know the arrangement yet, but it is likely that Gen Akol will meet Gen Abdel Fattah al- Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo,” said the source underscoring its importance.
South Sudan brokered a peace deal ending armed conflict in the Blue Nile State with the SPLM-N of Malik Agar and the other armed groups in Darfur.
The dissolution of the transitional government breaches the power-sharing agreed upon in the peace agreement, the same for the detention of Yasir Arman SPLM-N Agar Deputy Chairman.
The official said there are many issues that are a source of concern for the South Sudanese president. He further cited peace talks with the SPLM-N al-Hilu that are being mediated by
He expressed fear that an interruption in the process could affect the progress made with the al-Hilu group to consolidate peace and stability in the two countries.
“There are also important issues which we feel could be interrupted by a change in the leadership. For example, if you have a new government that does not support peace in South Sudan, it means the process of peace which the leadership in Sudan was supporting would be in jeopardy,” he said.
The official pointed to the economic relations between the two countries, citing trade and oil transit to the international market through Sudan.
“Any interruption in the oil flow will have dire consequences on the economy of the two countries”.
President Kiir and General al-Burhan spoke several times since the military takeover on 25 October.
(ST)