---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Thu, Nov 3, 2011 at 3:52 PM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] South Sudan Warns of New Militia Attack To: Group <[email protected]>
1. South Sudan Warns of Militia Attack; Calls for More Peacekeepers By Jared Ferrie Nov. 1 (Bloomberg) -- South Sudan warned of an imminent attack on its territory by a Khartoum-backed militia and urged the United Nations to boost its peacekeeping force in the newly independent country. As many as 700 fighters are making their way through Sudan and preparing to attack Kaka, about 600 kilometers (373 miles) north of the capital, Juba, in South Sudan's Upper Nile state, military spokesman Colonel Philip Aguer told reporters today in Juba. "Maybe their intention is to occupy Kaka and annex the whole area to Sudan," he said, warning that fighting may intensify as the rainy season ends this month and road conditions improve. President Umar al-Bashir’s government in Khartoum has been battling insurgents in the border states of Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan in recent months as it attempts to disarm combatants who fought during a two-decade civil war with the forces of South Sudan, which gained independence on July 9. Southern Kordofan borders the oil-rich states of Unity and Upper Nile in Southern Sudan, which assumed control of about 75 percent of Sudan’s daily oil production of 490,000 barrels when it becomes independent in July. In August, 14 South Sudanese soldiers were killed by militias in Upper Nile state. Sudan's army has no connection to militias operating in the south of the country, military spokesman al-Sawarmi Khaled said. "Our government has nothing to do with the rebellions in the Unity state or any other states," he said in a telephone interview from Khartoum today. South Sudan urged the UN to increase the number of peacekeepers in the country after South Korea and Japan offered to provide more troops. "They should deploy in those areas where the civilians are being eliminated by those militia groups - that is what we are asking," government spokesman Barnaba Marial Benjamin said at the media briefing today. Aguer said 11 civilians were killed and 16 wounded on Oct. 29 when rebels attacked the town of Mayom in Unity State. He said 32 rebels died, while South Sudan lost 10 soldiers and four police officers. About 400 members of the rebel South Sudan Liberation Army crossed the border from South Kordofan state in trucks provided by the Sudanese Armed Forces, he said, accusing the SAF of training and arming the rebels. "The government of Khartoum has been fighting us in a proxy war since 2005," said Deputy Director of Military Intelligence Major-General Mac Paul. A peace agreement signed in 2005 ended a two-decade civil war in Sudan and called for a referendum that led to South Sudan's independence. South Sudan and Sudan have yet to reach an agreement on how much the land-locked south will pay to transport its oil using a pipeline through the north. The two countries also dispute the status of Abyei, a border area claimed by both countries. In Blue Nile and South Kordofan, the peace deal proscribed "popular consultations" to determine the status of each state within Sudan. That process broke down and Sudan is now fighting the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), a force that was formerly part of the rebel movement that liberated South Sudan. Khaled accused South Sudan of continuing to back the SPLM-N. Benjamin said Juba and the SPLM-N cut ties when the south became independent. The Enough Project, an anti-genocide group based in Washington, said in a report today that refugees who fled Blue Nile state to camps in Ethiopia told researchers that Sudanese government forces and militias are killing civilians. The UN said almost 30,000 people have fled into Ethiopia, and fighting between the government and rebels displaced or "severely affected" about 330,000 in Blue Nile and South Kordofan. Amnesty International and New York-based Human Rights Watch accused Khartoum in August of bombing civilian areas. Sudanese government officials have previously denied that the military is targeting civilians. Jared FerrieJournalist, South Sudan+249 (0) 991 896 982 END1 2. S. Sudan army accuses Khartoum based airline company of aiding rebels By Julius N. Uma November 1, 2011 (JUBA) — A senior official from South Sudan’s military intelligence has openly accused a Khartoum-based airline company of backing rebel groups intending to overthrow the southern government. Khartoum and Juba trade regularly accusations of supporting rebel groups from both sides. Yesterday, Sudan’s defence minister Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein, said that Juba supported the recent South Kordofan and Blue Nile attacks carried by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North. Michael Mach, the director of military intelligence in the southern army told journalists on Tuesday that they had credible evidence that Sudan Airways could be providing both logistical and financial support to the various rebel militias opposed to Africa’s newest nation. "Some months back, we captured a helicopter which was ferrying arms to George Athor’s rebels fighting the government of South Sudan. The helicopter, which was released on Monday, bears a trademark of Sudan Airways," Mach told reporters in Juba, the South Sudan capital. Athor, a former general in the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army (SPLA) took up arms against the southern government after his failed bid to become the governor of Jonglei, the country’s largest state in the 2010 general elections. The SPLA director for military intelligence further said the army was closely monitoring rebel movements across the country, taking a swipe at Sudan’s government for allegedly supporting south-based rebel movements. "We all know that the government in Khartoum has been involved in destabilising South Sudan since the peace agreement was signed in 2005 and we have raised this issue with the international community several times," Mach added. Meanwhile, Phillip Aguer, the spokesperson of the southern army revealed that only 11 civilians were killed and 16 wounded while its army lost 10 men and four policemen during recent clashes with rebels in Unity state. Also, 32 rebels were allegedly killed. "South Sudan Liberation Army rebels attacked Mayom town, the headquarters of Mayom County in Unity state and launched a surprise attack. Unfortunately they targeted innocent civilians, mainly children and women but were driven out by a combined force of the army and police," Aguer said. He identified the wife of Paulino Matip, South Sudan’s deputy chief of staff as one of those killed during the impromptu attack, which occurred over the weekend. The army spokesperson, however, cautioned the media fraternity to desist from advancing rebel "propaganda," likely to cause tension and fear among sections of the southern population. He said, "We urge the media to avoid relying on eye witness reports especially on figures, some of which are untrue. Always try to verify with the army and government officials on the ground." South Sudan officially gained independence nearly three months ago after its population overwhelmingly voted for separation in the self-determination referendum. The vote was a key part of the Sudan’s 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended over two decades of the North-South civil war. (ST) http://www.sudantribune.com/S-Sudan-army-accuses-Khartoum,40603 [By sheer coincidence I was at Juba Airport on Monday and watched the helicopter being towed out on to the tarmac for departure. It does indeed bear Sudan Airways markings - John] END2______________________ 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 "South Sudan Info - The Kob" 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/SouthSudanKob?hl=en.
