Taha visits South Kordofan, says army in full control of situation

July 13, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese first Vice-President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha on Friday visited the country’s war-torn state of South Kordofan where he asserted that the army is in full control of the situation following the assassination of a local official.

Taha’s visit which was not announced by state media follows the assassination last week of the chairman of South Kordofan’s legislative council, Ibrahim Balndia, along with five of his companions in an ambush allegedly conducted by the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N).

The rebels however denied the charge saying they had nothing with the incident.

According to Sudan’s official news agency SUNA, Taha said during his visit that the situation in the state was secure and that the army is in full control of the situation. He vowed that those who assassinated Balndia will face justice.

Taha said that his visit is “a message to all enemies” that South Kordofan is headed for more development.

Sudan has been fighting SPLM-N rebels in South Kordofan and Blue Nile since last year.

The rebels forged an alliance called the Sudanese Revolutionary Forces (SRF) with two rebel groups from Darfur regions and vowed joint military operations to topple the regime in Khartoum.

(ST)