Satellite imagery tracks Kharoum’s South Kordofan refugee “chokepoint”
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By Toby Collins
January 31, 2012 (LONDON) – The US Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP)
released a report on 27 January stating that satelitte imagery from
South Kordofan may show Kharoum’s forces creating a “chokepoint” for
refugees fleeing the area.
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Refugees in Yida, South Sudan November 16, 2011 (Getty)
SSP states that “consistent with reports of recent fighting in the
area”, satellite imagery appears to show Khartoum’s Sudan Armed Force
(SAF), have created “what appears to be a chokepoint, with apparent
artillery, main battle tanks, and infantry fighting vehicles
controlling the main evacuation route for refugees attempting to flee
into South Sudan”.
Sudan activist and Enough Project co-founder, John Prendergast said
that 45 km north of the Yida UN refugee camp in South Sudan, an
estimated 200,000 civilians are being prevented access to humanitarian
aid or access to the the camp by SAF’s “chokepoint”.
A SAF bombing raid on the Yida refugee camp in November 2011 received
widspread international condemnation.
Khartoum is engaged in conflict with Sudan People’s Liberation
Movement – North (SPLM-N) rebels in the border states of Blue Nile and
South Kordofan. Kharotum accuses South Sudan of backing the SPLM-N.
Enough Project director, John Bradshaw, noted that the activity
documented by the satellite is “almost identical to the Government of
Sudan’s road-building activity and disposition of forces revealed by
satellites in March of last year” - when SAF overran the disputed
region of Abyei in May 2011, resulting in the displacement, according
to the UN, of nearly 100,000 people.
(ST)
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