Sudan not notified of the expulsion of its military attaché in Tripoli: official
September 7, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s foreign ministry on Sunday said it has not received a formal notification from the Libyan authorities or Libyan embassy in Khartoum demanding withdrawal of the military attaché at the Sudanese embassy in Tripoli.
It noted that this action by Sudan violates Libya’s sovereignty and constitutes an interference in its affairs, adding that they formally informed the Sudanese military attaché that he is persona non grata.
Sudan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Youssef al-Kordofani, stressed in press statements that the plane mentioned in the media that landed at Kufra airport continued to conduct regular flights to provide the joint Sudanese-Libyan border control forces with supplies, food and ammunition.
He added that Thursday flight was a regular one and has been carried out at the request of the joint forces in which the Libyan side is represented by Colonel Suleiman Hamid who gave landing permission in the presence of the national army commanders and tribal leaders in the area, pointing that the plane returned to Sudan after unloading its cargo.
Al-Kordofani stressed that the plane was not heading to Mitiga airbase and did not make an emergency landing at Kufra airport, saying it was a normal landing that was based on prior arrangements with the commander of the joint Sudanese-Libyan forces at Kufra airport.
The spokesperson further said that Sudan maintained equal distance from Libyan rivals, recalling that Sudan expressed readiness to mediate among various Libyan factions and groups according to the decisions of the fourth ministerial meeting for the neighboring countries of Libya which was held in Cairo last month.
He underscored Sudan’s keenness to maintain Libya’s security and stability, saying that Sudan has no interest in interfering in Libya’s internal affairs.
Al-Kordofani also said there is no interest in destabilizing Libya in light of the current regional situation, reiterating Sudan’s desire to maintain strong ties with Libya.
The Sudanese army spokesperson Colonel al-Sawarmi Khalid Sa’ad in statements to Ashorooq TV on Saturday denied providing any military support to any Libyan militia.
He affirmed Sudan’s firm position of non-interference in Libya’s internal affairs, adding that the radio exchange between the aircraft’s pilot and the airport’s control towers confirms the real mission of the plane which landed in al-Kufra.
(ST)