“Fifth column” of political parties facilitated attack on Um Rawaba, says governor

April 28, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The governor of North Kordofan state, Muatassim Mirghani Zaki Al-din, accused unspecified opposition political parties of providing information to the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) that helped it carry out its attack on the town Um Rawaba.

The attack was significant given the fact that rebel activity has been mostly limited to the states of Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan. Residents said that the rebels were met with little resistance from government forces there.

SRF withdrew from Um Rawaba in the afternoon after occupying the town for around six hours. Scores were killed and injured including members of the police force.

The governor told Sudan official news agency (SUNA) that some political parties are serving as “fifth column” to the rebel forces but offered no details.

Al-din dismissed rumors of rebels’ intent to attack North Kordofan state capital of Al-Obeid as “baseless” and “tendentious”.

Social media outlets have circulated reports that North Kordofan’s minister of agriculture and deputy-governor have ordered the state employees to leave work early in anticipation of a potential attack by the rebels on Al-Obeid which led to widespread panic among its residents.

The governor stressed that al-Obeid “is safe and resistant to rebel movements and the fifth column”, adding that “the fifth column uses the internet to spread tendentious rumors”.

Al-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, is about 100 kilometers west of Um Rawaba where the recent attack took place.

(ST)