---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2011 09:04:38 +0300 Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Fw: Fighting breaks out in Blue Nile To: Group <[email protected]>
"The eruption of war in Blue Nile with heavily armed SPLA units could put the entire Sudan at risk of a full scale war" (article 3, below). 1. From an independent source on the ground in Damaziin, 2nd September 2011: "SAF has attacked SPLM N positions in the town of Damazin. Fighting seems to be all over the town.... There are casualties reported among the civilians and on both sides." 2. Sudanese Army Bombs Home of Blue Nile State Governor, SPLA Military Sites By Salma El Wardany - Sep 2, 2011 7:04 AM GMT+0300 Bloomberg Sudanese government forces bombarded the home of the governor of the border Blue Nile state and other military sites used by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army of neighboring South Sudan, the governor said. The attack happened yesterday after three vehicles used by the SPLA were shot at by Sudanese soldiers while approaching the southern part of Ad-Damazin, the state capital, Malik Agar said in a phone interview from the city. “When our forces shot back at them, they just heavily bombarded my house and all sites of the SPLA in the capital,” Agar said. Sudanese army spokesman Al-Sawarmi Khaled and Rabie Abdel Ati, a senior member of President Umar al-Bashir’s National Congress Party, didn’t answer calls today to their mobile phones seeking comment. To contact the reporter on this story: Salma El Wardany in Khartoum at [email protected] To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Richardson at [email protected] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-02/sudanese-army-bombs-home-of-blue-nile-state-governor-spla-military-sites.html END2 3. Sudan army attacks SPLA forces and governor’s residence in Blue Nile: SPLM-N September 2, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – Forces of the Sudanese government on Friday attacked the the residence of the Blue Nile state governor, who is also chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N), Malik Agar. According to Yasir Arman, SPLM-N’s secretary-general, Sudan’s army (SAF) launched a military offensive at midnight Friday targeting the SPLM’s Joint Integrated Units under the command of Jondi Suliyman and the house of Agar in the state capital Al-Damazin. Arman told Sudan Tribune that in the past four days the Sudanese government had deployed reinforcements consisting of one infantry brigade, 12 tanks and 40 armed vehicles into the area. “This debunks the deceptive ceasefire announced by Al-Bashir in South Kordofan because it was declared in order to prepare for an attack against Al-Damazin,” Arman said. He further warned that the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) would be held accountable for attacking the house of “the elected governor” and the “atrocities they are committing against the civilian population” as well as the SPLM-N’s membership in the two areas. “We wish to assure SPLM-N’s supporters and members of the general public that Malik Aggar is safe,” Arman said, promising to give more details on the events taking place in the Blue Nile within the next few days. Arman did not explain what triggered the fighting and there was no confirmation of the attacks from independent sources. In a phone interview with Bloomberg, Agar said the attack happened after three vehicles used by the SPLA were shot at by Sudanese soldiers while approaching the southern part of Al-Damazin. “When our forces shot back at them, they just heavily bombarded my house and all sites of the SPLA in the capital,” Agar said. The eruption of war in Blue Nile with heavily armed SPLA units could put the entire Sudan at risk of a full scale war. The government in Khartoum has been engaged in clashes with SPLA forces in South Kordofan since last June. SPLM-N has blamed the government for fighting in South Kordofan saying that Sudan’s army was seeking to disarm its fighters by force. Last May, SAF sent a letter to SPLA saying that its forces in the two states must disarm by June 1st or deploy to what is now the new country of South Sudan. But the SPLA responded by saying that the units are composed of northern soldiers, therefore withdrawing South is not an option. The Blue Nile’s governor told the New York Times (NYT) at the time that SAF has moved “dangerously close” to the bases of SPLA fighters and that he did not think the southern-allied forces would surrender. “It’s like putting a cat in a corner,” Agar said. “They will fight.” (ST) END3 ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan Advisor [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +249 919 695 362 (Sudan mobile) +27 82 853 3556 (South Africa mobile) +44 750 304 1790 (UK/international) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisation -- The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, John Ashworth is not the author of the content and the source is always cited. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudan-john-ashworth" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.za/group/sudan-john-ashworth -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
