The governor of South Kordofan stated that the security situation in the state is “stable” since he took over power. However, the rebel group Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N), which is active in the state, strongly denied the governor’s claims.
In a speech delivered at the Sudanese National Legislative Assembly, Governor Adam Al-Faki Mohamed Al-Tayeb, stressed the importance of negotiations with the SPLA-N, adding: “Since I took office no single area was reportedly bombed.”
Al-Faki also noted that the military operation in South Kordofan is carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and “other organized forces”, stressing his government is not involved.
The governor called upon leaders and citizens of “eastern localities of South Kordofan residing in Khartoum to forget the bitterness of war and join the peace process and reconciliation in the State.”
The leaders addressed by Al-Faki had meanwhile met at the peace centre of the Khartoum University and requested the government to engage in negotiations with rebel groups, as “there is no justified reason to oppose peace with the SPLA-N.”
For his part, the spokesman of the SPLA-N Arnu Ngutulu Lodi downplayed the stability claims by the South Kordofan governor and affirmed he has not taken any initiative so far towards initiating peace talks.
“The peace plan by the governor is misleading, because the Sudanese Air force drops bombs daily on innocent civilians in different areas of South Kordofan. The Sudanese citizens are witness to what takes place in the state,” Lodi said.
The rebel’s spokesman further claimed that clashes have occurred between the SPLA-N and government forces after Al-Faki assumed power.
“The Sudan Revolutionary Front will continue struggling until the Khartoum regime is toppled by any means, including by armed means.”
The SRF is a coalition of rebel forces recruiting primarily in Darfur and Kordofan. Its members are the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the Sudan Liberation Army/Movement-Abdel Wahid (SLA/M-AW), the Sudan Liberation Army/Movement-Minni Minawi (SLA/M-MM), and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement-North (SPLA/M-N).