Sudanese army rules out military confrontation with South Sudan

November 15, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) has renewed denial of South Sudan allegations that its planes bombed a village in the Upper Nile state and ruled out the possibility of war between the two countries against the background of these southern accusations.

SAF’s spokesperson, Colonel al-Sawarmi Khalid Sa’ad, underscored in a press conference on Saturday that Sudan does not have hostile intentions towards South Sudan, saying they do not expect any military conflict between the two countries.

He said that these allegations don’t necessarily reflect the real stance of South Sudan’s government towards Sudan.

The spokesman for the South Sudanese army (SPLA), Col. Philip Aguer, told the independent Radio Tamazuj that several bombs had been dropped on Wednesday on Maban county’s Kortumbak area in the Upper Nile state, where more than 120,000 refugees from the neighboring Sudanese Blue Nile state have been sheltered

“It is only Sudan that is capable of using [an] Antonov in the region and there is no doubt about that,” he told Sudan Tribune when asked what evidence existed that neighboring Sudan was responsible for the latest air attack.

On 3 November, South Sudan also accused the Sudanese army of carrying out aerial bombing against the town of Raja in Western Bahr el Ghazal state killing 35 people and wounding 17 others.

However, Saad said Juba’s accusations are unfounded; stressing that SAF has nothing to do with ongoing military operations inside South Sudan’s territory.

SECURING ELECTIONS

Meanwhile, Saad expressed SAF’s readiness to deploy troops to secure the upcoming general election particularly in areas affected by war, pointing to SAF’s participation in securing the 2010 elections.

Sudan’s general elections are set to be held in April 2015, but opposition parties are refusing to participate.

(ST)