By MOHAMMED AMIN in Khartoum
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. ©REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
February 18, 2014 [Khartoum] — Sudan has stated that the Ugandan military intervention in South Sudan is threatening Sudan’s national security.
The Sudanese armed forces (SAF) have further warned that the Ugandan military presence in the south is threatening the whole the East African countries, and is demanding Kampala pull out its forces.
Talking to Africa Review on Sunday, SAF spokesman Col. Alswarmy Khalid Saad accused Uganda of attempting to sabotage the relations between Khartoum and Juba.
“Uganda has many hostility actions against Sudan; they are trying to convince the government of South Sudan that they are supporting them while [they claim] we are backing Riek Machar’s forces, but that is incorrect” the spokesman said.
“Our position is very clear that we do not have any intention of militarily intervention in South Sudan” he reaffirmed.
Col. Saad further dismissed accusations by the South Sudan’s national army that Sudan’s air force have violated the Southern space.
“We have no military operations on our border with South Sudan and even the protection of the oilfields is the responsibility of the government of South Sudan” he said.
“We made it very clear that we are supporting the elected government in South Sudan, but we are against any military intervention and concerned of any foreign forces that have been deployed in the south” he added.
Dropping bombs
The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) said on Saturday that a plane coming from the direction of Sudan dropped some bombs in Upper Nile state, where battles are still going between the government and rebels.
The SPLA Director of Information and Public Relations, Brigadier-General Malaak Ayuen Ajok, told the media in Juba that the bombs were dropped by an Antonov plane in Maban area in Upper Nile state.
Gen. Ajok also said there was a separate aerial attack in Maban County, still in Upper Nile State.
The SPLA has however confirmed continued fighting in parts of Upper Nile State.
Kampala in the meantime has made clear it won’t withdraw its forces from South Sudan.
The US had recently asked Uganda to withdraw its forces.
The rebel side of Dr Machar has been insisting on the withdrawal of the Ugandan troops as a precondition of unlocking the peace talks being hosted in Addis Ababa.
Sudan and Uganda have traded accusations of supporting rebels in each of their countries.
The fighting in South Sudan is still ongoing despite the ceasefire agreement and the continuous talks between the warring parties.
