Border Guard Forces to take part in illegal arms collection in Darfur: minister
June 14, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Defence Minister Awad Ibn Ouf said Tuesday that the Border Guard Forces (BGF) would participate among the rest of the regular forces in the collection of illegal arms in Darfur.
He said there will be a first phase were people will be asked to voluntarily handover their arms, adding that the second step will be heavy disarmament operations and legal action will be taken against those who didn’t deliver their weapons.
The BGF is comprised mostly of the Arab militia mobilized by Khartoum to help quell the revolt of Darfur rebels who took up arms against the government in February 2003.
On Monday, Ibn Ouf inspected the BGF troops at the Wadi Sayidna military area north of Khartoum upon their return from the combat operations in the Blue Nile state.
He said the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), the BGF and the other regular forces would participate in the collection of the illegal arms in Darfur in order to enhance peace and stability, pointed that the BGF has responded to the call of duty in all battlefields.
The Defence Minister further hailed efforts of the BGF in maintaining security and stability and supporting programs of voluntary return of the IDP’s to their original villages, pointing to the significant victories in the Blue Nile and the entire military operations zones.
The Sudanese government has been fighting the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) in South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas since 2011.
Earlier this month, the Blue Nile Governor Hussein Yassin Abu Sorwal said that SAF managed to retake control of the strategic area of Jebel Kilgu, 30 km south of the Blue Nile state capital Ed-Damazin.
The Sudanese government had dispatched hundreds of the Rapid Support Force (RSF) militiamen to participate in the recent battles in the Blue Nile.
The SRF militiamen are accused to taking part in the counterinsurgency campaign led by the Sudanese army against Darfur rebel groups. UN agencies estimate that some 300 thousands civilians were killed.
For his part, SAF Chief of Staff Emad al-Din Mustafa Adawy stressed that SAF would meet the needs of the BGF and provide training for its soldiers to carry out their duties fully.
He also pointed to the recent victories in Jebel Kilgu, Torda and Angassana Hills in the Blue Nile, pledging to provide resources for the BGF in order to protect the borders efficiently.
(ST)