Sudanese army committed to ceasefire in South Kordofan: general
August 2, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese army reiterated its commitment to the unilateral cessation of hostilities in South Kordofan but pointed to its readiness to deter any attempts to destabilize the state.
During a visit to Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan state Sudanese Army’s Chief of General Staff Kamal Abdel-Marouf renewed the commitment of the armed forces to the cease-fire, pointing point to a presidential decree on this respect stressing it comes in the context of government efforts to achieve peace.
The government and the SPLM-N are waging war in the South Kordofan since June 2011 but the two sides declared a cessation of hostilities in 2015 within the African Union efforts to settle the conflict.
However, the mediators led by Thabo Mbeki have failed to bridge the gaps in the positions of the two parties on a humanitarian ceasefire agreement. Last February, the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu demanded that the humanitarian aid arrives directly to the rebel areas from outside Sudan.
In a speech delivered to the SAF 14th Infantry Division in Kadugli on Thursday, Abdel-Marouf called on the rebels to join the negotiating table without preconditions.
The Joint Chief of Staff further asserted the readiness of the armed forces to confront anyone who tries to tamper with the security of the homeland and the citizens, as he said.
The SPLM-N officially split last October with the enthronization of the former deputy chairman Abdel Aziz, as chairman of the group.
Al-Hilu calls for self-determination for the region also demands to keep the SPLA-N fighters without integration in the Sudanese army during the transitional period. But the government rejects the two demands.
(ST)