SPLM-N secretary general arrives in South Kordofan

March 29, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) said its secretary general Yasir Arman has arrived in South Kordofan where fierce military confrontations between the movement and the government army has been ongoing since several days.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Tuesday, SPLM-N peace file spokesperson Mubarak Ardol said that Arman arrived in the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan 72 hours following the failure of the strategic consultative meeting.

Sudanese government and four of the “Sudan Call” opposition groups held a strategic consultative meeting in Addis Ababa between 19 to 21 March under the auspices of the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) which brokers Sudan’s peace process.

At the end of the meeting, the Sudanese government signed a Roadmap Agreement calling to stop war in Blue Nile, Darfur, and South Kordofan and to engage in the national dialogue process. However the opposition groups refused to sign the agreement saying it would lead to reproduce the regime.

According to Ardol, Arman would tour large areas held by the SPLM-N in South Kordofan including the battlefronts and the frontlines.

On Monday, the Sudanese army said it recaptured a number of areas and strategic positions held by the SPLM-N in South Kordofan including, Al-Maradis, El Lipo, Kutna, Ugab, Karkakaia, El-Biri.

SPLM-N spokesperson, Arno Lodi Sunday acknowledged that the government troops and allied militias launched a simultaneous attack on six of its positions in Um Dorain, Buram, Heiban, and Dalami countries.

Ardol added that the secretary general would hold public rallies and visits the SPLM-N political and military training centers before attending the graduation ceremony of the 19 th batch from the political and leadership training centre.

South Kordofan and neighbouring Blue Nile state have been the scene of violent conflict between the SPLM-N and Sudanese army since 2011.

Last December, negotiations between Khartoum the SPLM-N stalled after the government delegation insisted that the objective of talks is to settle the conflict in the Two Areas, while the SPLM-N team has called for a holistic approach to resolve ongoing conflicts across Sudan.

(ST)