Press Release From Equatoria Defence Forces

The commander of EDF troops massed outside Torit have received credible information on the request of the GoS Military Commander of Torit requesting approval for him from Khartoum so that he could move his forces to attack EDF positions around Moti and other areas outside Torit where our forces massed since leaving Torit last February.

The Agreement on Security arrangement which the GoS and SPLM negotiated and signed clearly did talk of the fact that other forces can choose to be with SPLA or with GoS and that is why exactly EDF decided it was time to be with their brothers in the SPLA and not with GoS army. An attack on the potions of EDF by GoS Army or militia allied to them will face a grave consequence and could be a clear message that the Gos of Sudan is trying to derail the peace process.

EDF will react with overwhelming power against such an attack and so we argue the GoS not to authorise such an attack on EDF positions and to work to make sure a viable peace agreement is signed and implemented. The GoS army and any of their militia must immediately pull back from any threatening positions against those of EDF. We call on all the parties seeking peace in Sudan (UN, IGAD, USA, and Britain, Norway, etc) to pressurise Khartoum to abandon its double standard of fighting and negotiating peace at the same time and instead concentrate on achieving a comprehensive peace in Sudan. Already we have cease fire in South Sudan covering all forces and GoS should not be allowed to break the cease fire all the time.

Charles Barnaba Kisanga

– Secretary General
– Equatoria Defence Forces (EDF)
– Tel: +44117 959 4549
– E-mail: [email protected]