Sudan will continue military participation in anti-Houthi campaign: al-Bashir

January 1, 2018 (KHARTOUM) — President Omer al-Bashir confirmed that the Sudanese army would continue to take part in the military coalition led by Saudi Arabia against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Following the recent visit Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Sudan, some Saudi newspapers joined the Egyptian media in its verbal attacks on the Sudanese government for the alleged signing of an agreement to build a military base on the Red Sea coast island of Suakin.

In a speech he delivered on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of Sudan’s Independence, al-Bashir reiterated the participation of the Sudanese troops in support of legitimacy in Yemen and to crash the rebels who also threaten the security of the Two Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia.

Sudan’s “participation was imposed by our religious values and our moral heritage in the fight against terrorism and aggression,” said the Sudanese president before to add “We will continue this participation until it achieves its noble goals”.

He further commended “all those who supported and supported the lifting of the sanctions against Sudan, and mentioned the Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the Arab Maghreb countries, as well as the African countries’ stance through their union and bilateral positions, particularly Ethiopia, Chad, South Africa and Rwanda.

Al-Bashir didn’t mention the name of Egypt, among the countries he thanked for their efforts to cancel the 20-year economic sanctions on Sudan.

Sudanese officials were annoyed by the association of a Saudi newspaper to the Egyptian media attacks and the Sudanese embassy in Riyadh released a statement to denounce the articles published by the daily.

In a move to close this row, Okaz published in its second page under a large headline the messages of congratulation sent by King Salman and the Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman to President Omer al-Bashir on Sudan’s Independence Day.

(ST)