Blue Nile government says SPLM-N al-Hilu killed aid worker

January 30, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The government of the Blue Nile region accused the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu of killing an aid worker last Friday in the Giessan area.

Adam Tairab, a staff member of a local group of “Addition Organization for Disaster and Development” (ADD) was killed by unidentified gunmen in an area controlled by “unofficial parties” in the strive Blue Nile region, on Friday, January 27, 2023.

Fawatih al-Nur al-Bashir, Blue Nile Government Spokesperson, said that Tairab’s vehicle “came under fire from an armed group affiliated with Abdel Aziz al-Hiliu, according to field reports issued by the Humanitarian Aid Commission.”

Bashir stressed that the party that carried out the isolated attack bears its responsibility for the parties adding they would remain vigilant for the safety and security of the region’s residents.

According to UN  reports released by the end of 2022, the bloody inter-communal violence, which kicked off in July, in the Blue Nile region killed displaced 127,961 people and killed over 359 others.

The SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu dismissed the accusations saying they had no relation with the murder of the aid worker near Giessan.

Mohamed Youssif Ahmed, head of the SPLM-N in Khartoum described the accusations by the Blue Nile government led by the SPLM-N Agar as a “broken record” repeated every time something happens in the peace signatory group, especially during the recent period.

“Killing civilians is not a tactic of the SPLM-N, and why would the SPLM kill a civil organization employee?” he said.

The SPLM-N Agar, which controls large parts of the Blue Nile area, is a signatory of the Juba peace agreement. The talks between the government and the other group led by al-Hilu are suspended.

(ST)