South Sudan’s Deputy Minister of Defence Majak Atem Agot has called upon Sudan to desist from continuous violation of its air space. He alleged during a press conference held yesterday that Khartoum has been sending aircrafts to drop military supplies to some of the insurgents in Jonglei state.
“We want Khartoum to desist from this flagrant violation of South Sudan’s sovereignty and stop interference with the internal affairs of South Sudan,” he said.
Sudan also regularly sends reconnaissance flights over northern areas such as Unity State and Upper Nile. The government of South Sudan is meanwhile aiming to find measures to protect its air space.
Majak termed Khartoum’s overflights as ‘lawlessness,’ saying these wanton intrusions should come to an end.
Specifically he cited reports by UNMISS, whose peacekeepers supposedly witnessed Sudanese aircraft dropping supplies to Yau Yau rebels in Pibor and Akobo counties of Jonglei.
The deputy minister explained that the strategic logic for this was to destabilize the area through with the South Sudanese government intends to construct the road for crude oil exports to Djibouti.
The Minister of Defence urged IGAD, the AU and the United Nations Security Council to put pressure to Khartoum to desist from carrying out these violations in South Sudan.
By Yobu Annet
Photo: A Sudanese Antonov aircraft used in ongoing military operations (Radio Tamazuj).