Sudan’s SPLM-N announces end of unilateral cessation of hostilities
September 30, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement –North (SPLM-N) announced Monday the end of an unilateral cessation of hostilities announced last month, stressing they would work to support the current “popular uprising”.
The rebel group on Monday said it decided jointly with other movements members of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) to prepare a military plan aiming to support the current protests in the country in order to topple the regime of the National Congress Party (NCP).
SPLM-N secretary general Yasir Arman said in statement emailed to Sudan Tribune that the group’s political and military wings have been instructed to support without hesitation the peaceful uprising taking place across the country.
” The Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N) has been instructed to work with the joint (military) command of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front in a manner to enhance the chances of victory of the peaceful uprising, in full coordination with the uprising forces and its leadership”, Arman said.
He further went to point out the group’s “keenness to broadening and deepening the peaceful character” of the protests, adding they put all “the SPLM-N and SPLA-N means at the disposal of the forces of change, in full coordination with the Revolutionary Front” and other opposition forces in order to bring down the regime”.
Sudanese officials accused the SRF forces of being involved in the burning and looting of public and private buildings, vehicles and petrol stations. They also claimed that unknown gunmen in plain clothes killed the civilians and denied the responsibility of policemen or security agents.
The Sudanese interior minister Ibrahim Mahmoud in a press conference held Monday said that the method of vandalism and looting used during the protests is similar to the practices of the SRF rebels in South Kordofan and Darfur.
He further said that all signs point to contacts between the SRF and some elements inside the country aiming to destabilise the security situation.
(ST)