Former rebel faction withdraws fighters from Khartoum

February 23, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The former rebel Third Front Tamazug Lagawa Sector Wednesday announced the withdrawal of its fighter from the capital, Khartoum, in implementation of a recent decision of the Security and Defense Council.

In a meeting held in El-Fasher earlier this month, the Council directed the peace agreement signatory groups to withdraw their combatants from the capital, Khartoum, and the capital cities of other states, in order to start the process of security arrangements.

The decision was announced from the North Darfur after looting attacks by members of the former rebel groups on the former UNAMID camp and WFP warehouses.

In a press conference held at the official news agency SUNA, Maj Gen Bashir Tawer Jebara, Head of the Lagawa Sector, said that the group evacuated its military forces outside the capital, Khartoum, and all the other cities across the country.

He added they would be heading on Thursday towards its cantonment sites in Al-Sitieb and Al-Debib of West Kordofan State.

The Third Front encompasses several factions from the White Nile, Kordofan and Darfur regions. The Lagawa Section is from South Kordofan.

The undisciplined fighters of these groups were involved in several looting and criminal attacks. They even clashed with the security forces last year.

For their part, the signatory groups blamed the government for delaying the enforcement of the security arrangements and not providing material and logistical assistance.

In a recent report to the UN Security Council, the UN panel of independent experts monitoring the arms embargo in Darfur said the former rebels justified their continued presence in Libya by the non-implementation of the security arrangement.

(ST)