Khartoum expresses its strong support for Cairo after Sinai attacks
January 31. 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese defence minister, Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein, has denounced recent attacks carried out by Islamist militants against the army and police targets in Sinai.
Islamic State’s Egypt wing claimed responsibility for the attacks in some of the worst anti-state violence in months, after commemorations around the anniversary of the 2011 uprising turned deadly last week.
According to Sudanese military spokesperson al-Sawarmi Khaled, Hussein offered his condolences to the Egyptian government and denounced the “hideous incident” which claimed lives of dozens of military men and civilians.
Saad said that Hussein phoned Egypt’s minister of defence and military production, Lt. General Sidqi Subhi, to denounce and condemn the brutal aggression which doesn’t belong to the principles, values and religion of the Egyptian people.
He added that Hussein underscored that Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudanese people and government stand by Egyptian army and people to deter anyone who attempts to tamper with the gains and fate of the Egyptian people.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s ambassador to Cairo and permanent representative at the Arab League (AL), Abdel-Mahmoud Abddel-Halim, decided to postpone the celebration of the 59th anniversary of Sudan’s independence which was scheduled for Saturday in honour of the victims of the attack.
He said in a statement “the Sudanese embassy in Cairo condemns this terrorist act in Sinani and offers its condolences to the families of the martyrs”, asking Allah (God) to accept them as martyrs.
Egypt’s government faces an Islamist insurgency based in Sinai and growing discontent with what critics perceive as heavy handed security tactics.
Relations between Sudan and Egypt have seen steady improvement following reciprocal visits of presidents Omar Hassan al-Bashir and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who also met in Addis Ababa, on Thursday, on the sidelines of the African Union summit before the latter cut short his participation in the summit and returned to Cairo due to the attacks.
(ST)