A senior official in Sudan’s East Darfur state said that South Sudanese army has pulled out from the contested area of Samaha between Sudan and South Sudan border after recent clashes between the Sudanese army and the Justice and Equality Forces Movement (JEM).
The Sudanese government previously raised several complaints to the UN Security Council with regards to the presence of South Sudan’s army in Samaha area in East Darfur. The disputed area is also called “Mile 14”.
The commissioner of Bahr Al-Arab Locality, Salim al-Hassan, claimed that the SPLA had withdrawn from Samaha following the defeat of the JEM rebels in Goz Dango in South Darfur State.
Al-Hassan told the Sudanese Media Center (SMC) on Saturday that they closed East Darfur state borders with South Sudan. He added the SPLA withdrew from the area in fear of clashes with the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that are carrying out combing operations along the borders.
He pointed out that forces have been deployed along the borders with South Sudan from Shikan area to Um Ajaja area to prevent any infiltration of rebels.
Philip Aguer says ‘there are no SPLA forces in Mile 14’
Col. Philip Aguer, spokesman of the South Sudanese army denied claims that SPLA forces withdrew from Mile 14 area, which is also called Samaha by the Sudanese government.
He said they had never had forces in the area explaining, “The SPLA forces were not stationed on the Mile 14, so how can they withdraw from there?”
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Aguer accused the Khartoum government of violating agreements signed on the common borders, referring to presence of the Sudanese Armed Forces in the area which was determined as a demilitarized zone.
Aguer further said the SPLA force had no link with recent battles between the Sudanese forces and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in the Darfur region. JEM admitted defeat in the recent battle.
“If Khartoum believes that there is a Sudanese territory occupied by South Sudan, so this is another case,” he explained. The army spokesman noted the SPLA forces have nothing to do with the border agreements with Sudan.
Security measures
Separately, East Darfur government started to introduce security measures by inspecting all entries points on the border with South Sudan.
East Darfur Governor Al Tayib Abdel-Karim said in a press statement on Monday that he directed locality commissioners bordering South Sudan to deploy security forces at the entrances and exits.
He further said the measure will prevent any infiltration of the rebels fleeing to cities after battles in Goz Dango area between the Sudanese army and the JEM rebels.
Abdul-Karim stressed that the commissioners will supervise the inspection procedures being implemented. The official noted the inspection campaigns will continue to ensure the area is combed properly from remnants of the rebels.
The governor claimed that arrangements are in place for a joint security plan between East Darfur and other states bordering South Sudan.