SPLM-N acknowledges escape of government POWs in S Kordofan
May 1, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) said that a Sudanese security agent has facilitated the escape of government prisoners of war (POWs) in South Kordofan.
However, SPLM-N spokesperson, Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, denied that the POWs were freed by a special rescue operation as the NISS claimed, saying the latter doesn’t have the capacity to carry out such operation.
In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Sunday, Lodi said the NISS prisoners escaped from Julud area in Dilling County with the help of their night guard Abdel-Haq Mohammed Saeed who joined SPLM/N in 2011 and was a NISS agent.
He stressed that the prisoners have released very confidential information pertaining to the NISS, saying the latter offered to pay 5 billion pounds (SDG) (about $370,000) ransom to secure their release but the movement rejected the offer because it violates its policies and laws in dealing with the POWs.
On Saturday night, the official news agency (SUNA) said the hostages have arrived in the capital, Khartoum.
Meanwhile, Lodi said that his movement was responsible for the crash of a Sudanese army aircraft on Saturday in the capital of North Kordofan state, El-Obied, 588 km south of Khartoum.
In a brief statement on Saturday, the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) spokesperson Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami, said that a military plane Antonov 26 crashed while landing in El Obied airport due to a technical failure.
“All the crew members including three officers and two soldiers were killed in the accident,” said the statement.
However, Lodi said their air defences heavily opened fire at the Antonov plane which was bombing civilians and destroying civilian institutions in SPLM/N controlled areas.
He pointed out that the shooting caused a significant damage to the plane and the crew failed to carry out an emergency landing at El-Obied military airport.
Fierce fighting is taking place in the Nuba Mountains area of South Kordofan following a large-scale campaign launched by the government army against rebel positions.
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 and 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.