Sudan won’t back down on disarmament campaign: al-Bashir

September 25, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir has underlined that the government won’t back down on the decision to collect illegal arms describing it as “strategic decision”.

In press statements following his meeting with al-Bashir on Monday, the governor of North Darfur state Ga’afar Abdel-Hakam said the President has instructed to expedite the implementation of the disarmament campaign and impose the authority of the state.

According to the pro-government Ashorroq TV, Abdel-Hakam added that he briefed al-Bashir on the security and political conditions in Central Darfur as well as the development and services projects launched by his government.

The governor pointed out that he also briefed al-Bashir on the positive impact of the decision to collect the illegal arms and unregulated vehicles on the security situation in Central Darfur.

Since August, the Sudanese authorities launched a campaign to collect weapons and ammunition in a bid to reduce the arsenal of arms in the hands of civilians and restore peace and security in Darfur.

However, the government is facing many challenges, because of the tribal militias that refuse to hand over their weapons due to the existing inter-communal disputes over water and pasture land and the long-established tribal tradition of cattle rustling.

The campaign is also facing another challenge posed by the tribal chief and former Janjaweed leader Musa Hilal who reject the campaign and threatens to fight the army and its militia of the Rapid Support Forces involved in the disarmament process.

(ST)