No training for Hamas elements in Sudan – army

February 17, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese army dismissed allegations published in a press report that members of the Iranian revolutionary guard train Palestinian Islamists on firing ground-to-ground missiles in the country.

Based on intelligence collected by Western body, the report said 14 elements from Hamas were trained on firing ground-to-ground missiles in gun drill fields belonging to the Sudanese army.

“These allegations are absolutely falsehearted,” said the office of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) spokesperson, adding that Sudan was a country committed to international agreements and UN conventions and would not involve itself in such mazes.

The Sudanese army pointed out that the law prohibits using drills fields belonging to the army to train any other party.

In January 2009, Israeli warplanes targeted a convoy of arms smugglers and killed some 119 civilians, according to Sudanese authorities.

The convoy had been heading towards the borders carrying arms believed to be on its way to Gaza strip.

However defence minister Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein, told lawmakers that the convoy had been transporting illegal immigrants to Egypt.

(ST)