Sudan’s PCP warns government against taking sides in Libya conflict
May 28, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) has warned Sudan, Egypt, and Chad against intervening militarily in Libya in favour of one of the conflicting parties, stressing that the move will have negative consequences on the country and the region.
He recalled reports revealing that the European Union (EU) had spent $700 million in ammunition purchases to help bring Col. Gaddafi’s regime to an end in 2011.
Rahma underscored that deteriorating security situation in Libya would adversely affect his country, adding that Darfur rebel groups or any other foreign bodies could take advantage of the situation to launch a strike on Sudan particularly if they felt that the latter is providing military support to one of the conflicting parties.
“If Tripoli fell into disarray and there was a sense that Sudan had intervened, then war militias known as ‘dogs of war’ would be used against it by those who believe that Khartoum is governed by radical political Islam”, he noted
The PCP official stressed that if the enemies of political Islam achieve victory in Libya, Khartoum will be the next target, ruling out that retired Maj. Gen. Khalifa Haftar who is leading the “dignity battle” against the Islamists in Libya will achieve victory.
He predicted that the conflict in Libya will be resolved through negotiations, saying the government would accept the federal system and hold general elections to overcome the current crisis.
Rahma affirmed that the West and the United States will not allow continuation of the current situation in Libya because it affects their interests, warning against intervention of the neighboring countries in favor of one side of the conflict.
“If Khartoum, Cairo, and N’Djamena decide to intervene, they should be reformers [between the conflicting parties] not military interveners and they must remain neutral and stay away from the zero-sum game”, he said.
Sudan has backed Libyan rebels in 2011 who eventually managed to topple the 40-years rule of Gaddafi.
On May 16, the renegade Maj. Gen. Khalifa Haftar staged several bloody attacks against other Libyan militias in the name of eradicating terrorism by leading a paramilitary force evasively named the Libyan National Army. His well-equipped brigades were rapidly joined by officers from national army bases in the eastern parts of the country.
Units from the air force also joined in, along with tribal gunmen and other militias, particularly the strong and notorious Zintan militia. The well-coordinated attacks, named Operation Karama, [Dignity], resulted in heavy casualties.
(ST)
