Darfur breakaway faction demands Khartoum to implement peace deal

January 22, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Hundreds of defectors from Darfur rebel movements who have been handed over to Sudan by South Sudan are awaiting mediation efforts with Khartoum amid simmering resentment and fears of return to South Sudan, said field commander.

According to a field commander who spoke to Sudan Tribune on condition of anonymity, a breakaway rebel force consisting of 1000 fighters on 100 four-wheel drive Land Cruizer vehicles with full ordnance are demanding the Sudanese government to implement the peace deal they signed in 2012.

He said that significant portion of this force is currently stationed near the Sudanese-Libyan border, noting that Juba has handed over those fighters to Khartoum in a deal that was brokered by a famous businessman from the troubled region.

However, the field commander underscored that the force it still waiting for the implementation of the agreement which stated the returnees mustn’t engage in any military actions.

He said the force which called itself the “Youth Movement for Darfur” continued to receive assurances from the businessman to raise the issue with government officials in Khartoum, noting that failure to address the situation could destabilize the security in Darfur .

“This movement has contributed to establishing security in Darfur, however, failure to resolve its problems would destabilize the situation because it could obtain military supplies through the western and northern borders in light of the turmoil in Libya”, he said .

He emphasized that the return of the force to South Sudan would become a matter of time if Khartoum didn’t implement the agreement signed between the two sides in 2012.
The Sudanese army and its allied militia have been fighting a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

According to the UN, 200,000 people have been killed in the conflict, and 2, 5 million chased from their homes.

(ST)