Darfur’s Sissi calls for troop deployment on CAR border
December 11, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The head of Darfur Regional Authority (RDA), Tijani El-Sissi has urged the Sudanese army to take the necessary measures and deploy troops on the border to prevent armed groups from crossing into the national territory from Central African Republic (CAR), saying they threaten the region’s stability.
Different reports say Muslim militias, backed by Chadian and Sudanese fighters from Darfur region, left Bangui heading to northern towns near Sudan and Chad borders.
Speaking in a consultative meeting with civil society groups in El-Fasher, Sissi described what is happening in the neighbouring CAR as a “misfortune and nightmare for Darfur region”.
He further pointed out that Sudanese authorities have to be aware of this situation because the possible entry of these armed groups threatens security and stability in Darfur region and eventually with represent a menace for the whole Sudanese territory.
Sudanese undersecretary at the foreign ministry Rahma Mohmaed Osman last week regretted the sectarian clashes between Muslim militias that backed the former rebel leader Michel Djotodia, who turned interim president and Christian militias supporting ousted president Francois Bozize.
The French government announced on Tuesday that two French soldiers had been killed during fighting on Monday night in the Central Africa Republic (CAR) capital Bangui.
The two soldiers are the first casualties since the deployment of French troops in CAR last week following a UN security vote.
The United Nations Refugee agency (UNHCR) puts the number of people internally displaced by the conflict at more than 500,000 since December 2012.
The agency says more than 100,000 people have been displaced in the last five days as a result of increased violence.
At least 140 people have been killed in fighting in the last four days, according to humanitarian agencies.
(ST)