Sudan accuses Israel, Germany of involvement in Darfur conflict

KHARTOUM, Dec 21, 2004 (Xinhua) — The Sudanese government on Tuesday accused Israel and Germany of involvement in the ongoing conflict in the troubled western Darfur region.

German soldiers enter a Transall C-160 cargo plane at the military airbase Penzing, 50 kilometers (28 miles) west of Munich, southern Germany, on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2004. The German Bundeswehr is supporting the Mission ‘African Union Mission in Sudan’ with one Airbus A310 passenger plane, five Transall C-160 cargo planes and 70 soldiers, who will transport Gambian soldiers and equipment from Banjul in Gambia to El Fashir in the Darfur region in Sudan. (AP).

“The information about the involvement of Israel on supplying the Darfur rebels with weapons is correct,” State Minister in the Interior Ministry Mohammed Haroun told a press conference.

“Those who have been involved in the conspiracy were seized by a friendly country’s intelligence agency and investigations on the issue are still going on,” he said.

Haroun also criticised a German policy towards Sudan, describing it as hindering Sudan’s peace process.

“Germany is supporting and hosting rebel leaders in addition to supplying for their meetings,” the Sudanese official said.

He described the activities of the rebel leaders based in some German cities as “terrorism”.

He also accused Germany of applying dual standards to the Sudanese government and rebels, since Germany considered the rebels’ activities as revolutionary.

Haroun stressed that his government would deal with any kind of aggression that could harm the nation’s vital interests, particularly the oil sector.

Meanwhile, he denied allegations that the government still bombarded villages in Darfur.

“What our forces did was aimed at opening routes and our forces are committed to the ceasefire,” he said.

“There are no battles in Darfur at the moment except that our military forces comb the area and surround the rebel groups who have targeted the oil areas,” Haroun said, adding that “it is a legitimate right to do so.”

He stressed that the government was capable of protecting and securing its nationals in Darfur, and the government has controlled the situation in Darfur.

The official also urged the international community to avoid sending wrong signals to the rebels since such signals would embolden the rebels to go on killing innocent people and looting properties.

He held the Darfur rebels responsible for attacks against Darfur citizens, reiterating the government’s commitment to the agreement it signed with the rebels.