Second batch of ex-eastern Sudan rebels return to Kassala
June 30, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The second batch of the East Front forces, which represent the Free Lions faction, arrived in Kassala in Eastern Sudan, yesterday. They were received by the deputy governor of Kassala state, Brig-Staff Mohamed Abdelgadir.
The arrival of the forces will be completed on Saturday 30 June. One thousand two hundred eastern front forces, who represent the Beja Congress had recently arrived in Kassala.
The political leadership of the eastern front are expected to arrive in the first weeks of July.
The first batch of the former east Sudan rebel fighters had entered the main towns for the first time under a fledgling peace deal on Sunday June 24.
The east Sudan strife, overshadowed by bloodier conflicts in Sudan’s western Darfur region and the south, dragged on for a decade before a peace deal last year.
The deal, signed in October 2006, gives the eastern parties a junior cabinet post in Khartoum and an assistant and adviser to President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. They also get eight seats in Khartoum’s central parliament and 10 in each of the three eastern states.
(ST)