A Sudanese diplomat has given comments indicating the government of Sudan will not shut down the offices of the faction of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition under the former first vice president, Riek Machar because it has contacts and “ties to both sides”.
Khalid al-Mubarak, according to the UK based IBTimes, said will not comply with South Sudan’s request. The diplomat is alleged to have said that Khartoum has “contacts with both sides”, an indication of the possibility that Sudanese government in Khartoum will not shut down rebel offices.
“Leaders of both government and opposition in South Sudan own houses in Khartoum and have sons and daughters at school or university. As a leading member of IGAD reconciliation and mediation, the Sudan has got contacts with both sides; but no forces are allowed to use Sudanese territory,” said al-Mubarak, according to IBTimes.
Last week media reports quoting presidential advisor on security affairs, Tut Kew Gatluak, said he hoped Sudanese government would not permit armed opposition to operate in the Sudanese territory.
Gatluak attributed the reason to the role Sudanese government is playing in the peace process, as key member of the intergovernmental authority on Development (IGAD), a regional bloc which mediated the 2015 peace agreement between the government with armed and non-opposition groups to end conflict.