---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 8:02 PM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Sudan army admits losing ground in Blue Nile To: Group <[email protected]>
1. Sudan army admits to losing an area in Blue Nile to SPLM-N rebels February 20, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese army on Wednesday announced that it withdrew from an area it reclaimed this week in the Blue Nile state from the rebels belonging to the Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) . Army spokesperson Colonel Al-Sawarmi Khalid Sa’ad said in a statement that their troops "evacuated" Mafo area after inflicting heavy losses on the rebels who attacked the area. "Our troops fought for three hours during which the aggressor forces lost a large numbers of dead and our troops repulsed the attack three consecutive times, but the large numbers of attacking forces and the lack of ammunition led to the withdrawal of our forces back" Col. Sa’ad said. He also accused South Sudan’s army of taking part in the fighting and claimed that "white mercenaries" were spotted in the SPLM-N ranks driving tanks and wearing bulletproof vests. Col. Sa’ad said that the Sudanese army is working on recapturing Mafo and denied assertions by SPLM-N that they are fighting for control of the strategic al-Kurmuk town on the borders with Ethiopia. The SPLM-N spokesperson Arnu Ngutulu Lodi earlier said that it took control of al-Kurmuk airstrip and is fighting to prevail over the town. The Blue Nile fighting which broke out in September 2011 has caused the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians who have little or no access to humanitarian assistance. Khartoum has been resisting international calls to allow aid agencies access to rebel held areas citing security situation. The SPLM-N said that thousands more have fled the ground and aerial attacks by the Sudanese army since last week and renewed calls for a "humanitarian ceasefire" to deliver aid to the affected population. The rebels in South Kordofan and Blue Nile - known as the SPLM-North - fought as part of the southern insurgent army during a civil war in Sudan that lasted from 1983 to 2005. Khartoum accuses Juba of backing the rebels and has blocked the implementation of a number of deals they signed last year, including one on Southern oil exports, until the South severs its alleged ties with the group. The government in Juba strongly denies that, saying it severed links with the insurgents when it gained independence, but the issue continues to strain relations between the nations. The Sudanese government has so far refused to negotiate with SPLM-N rebels, fearing that it could be forced to accept wealth and power sharing arrangements similar to the ones included in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed with the South. (ST) http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article45599 END1 2. Sudan rebels launch attack to retake border town By Hereward Holland and Khalid Abdelaziz JUBA/KHARTOUM | Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:03am EST (Reuters) - Rebels in a Sudanese border state say they have occupied an airport and are fighting with government troops to retake a town that became a flashpoint during the civil war, but the army denied it had lost any territory. The SPLM-North, rebels from the south who were left in Sudan after South Sudan seceded, said their fighters had reached Kurmuk, which they lost to the Sudanese army in late 2011. The clashes undermine African Union efforts secure a border still disputed nearly two years after South Sudan became independent, set up a military-free buffer zone and restart oil production, which the countries' economies desperately need. Kurmuk changed hands several times during two decades of north-south civil war and its capture would be a setback for Sudan, which has been trying to develop Blue Nile. The state is rich in chrome and also a production site for gum arabic, a gum gained from trees used as stabilizer in soft drinks. "Now we are fighting inside Kurmuk now and we occupy the Kurmuk airport," Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-North) leader Yasir Arman told Reuters by phone on Wednesday. "The Sudan air force is bombarding the whole southern Blue Nile every hour." Sudan's military spokesman al-Sawarmi Khalid denied rebels had reached Kurmuk, which is also near the border with Ethiopia. "It is not true at all that rebels are inside Kurmuk," Khalid said. He said SPLM-North troops had launched an attack on Muffa, some 20 km (12 miles) from Kurmuk, but the army had repulsed the fighters. Events are difficult to verify independently because of government restrictions on media, and the two sides often give conflicting versions of the fighting The conflict in Blue Nile started in September 2011, a few months after South Sudan seceded under the 2005 peace deal that ended the civil war in which some 2 million people died. More than 1 million people have been severely affected by the fighting, the United Nations said in a report last week. More than 200,000 have fled to Ethiopia and South Sudan. Khartoum accuses South Sudan of backing the rebels in Blue Nile and another border state South Kordofan. Juba denies this. Both countries agreed in September to defuse tension by setting up a demilitarized border zone after coming close to war in April. But neither side has withdrawn their army. Arman said the SPLM-North was willing to help create the buffer zone in areas under its control but was first asking for a cessation of hostilities to allow in humanitarian relief. "(The Sudanese army) are not welcome in our areas but we can find a formula that will achieve the directives of the demilitarized buffer zone," he said. Sudan signed a deal with the United Nations and Arab League in August to allow food into rebel-held areas but has not implemented it. (Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Alison Williams) http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/20/us-sudan-fighting-idUSBRE91J0VR20130220 END2 3. DOZENS KILLED IN MUFU, BLUE NILE STATE Wednesday, 20 February 2013 13:54 | Catholic Radio Network SPLA-N forces claim they killed dozens of government troops at Mufu, in Blue Nile State, during a counteroffensive on Tuesday. SPLM-N spokesperson Arnu Ngatulu Lodi said in an e-mailed statement that 86 soldiers were killed and many others injured in the fighting that took place 15 kilometres East of Mufu. He added that the SPLA-N pushed the government forces out of the area. Mr Ngatulu said the fighting for Mufu began one week ago when government forces launched long-range missiles and aerial attacks forcing thousands of civilians to flee. He rebuffed claims by the government that it captured Mufu. The spokesperson said the claims were all lies and propaganda. Mr Ngatulu did not speak about casualties on the rebels’ side. He confirmed that fighting was still ongoing. CRN could not verify the claims independently. http://catholicradionetwork.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9401:dozens-killed-in-mufu-blue-nile-state&catid=2:south-sudan&Itemid=84 END3 4. Urgent Statement From the SPLM\N humanitarian wing (SRRA) [Undated - received 20/02/2013] After Sudan armed force (SAF) captured Mofo on the 17th .feb.2013, SPLA kept on defending the area in response to civilian’s protection call from SAF affiliations. However Sudan ground and Arial bombardment that kept on attacking civilians in Blue Nile, in mofo and around, was on the top of the areas targeted by the humanitarian intervention. And as government’s attacked mofo it created a massive humanitarian situation & civilian’s situation turned to crises. After 20 hours fighting in-between SAF and SPLA, was able to recapture Mofo from SAF as war transited 17 KM closer to Kurmuk town. Although SPLA\N forces are launching victories over SAF, yet it’s still viable to call for humanitarian cessation of hostilities and delivery of aids to the needy. And as SAF Arial bombardment continuous on civilians and innocent people in areas south, and west of kurmuk , the SPLM\N Humanitarian wing urges all international and the national organizations for an urgent & immediate cross border operation in the region to save lives . END4 5. SUDAN PEOPLES’ LIBERATION MOVEMENT (SPLM -N) Office of the Official Spokesperson Date: 19/2/013 Despite the success by the National congress Party (NCP) to displace thousands of civilians from Mufu and areas around in Blue Nile state as their ultimate goal, after heavy aerial and long range artillery bombardments that started since 14/2/013, but its forces and militias inflicted heavy casualties in both men and military equipments, its forces could enter Mufu nor Maiek and Alrom as they have claimed by the lies and misleading statement, but moreover their casualties turned for SPLA-N. SPLA-N forces managed to destroy and dispatched Bot-Alrom military convoy on 16/2/013 which was heading to Ulu, as we are releasing this statement the fighting is continuing 15 km east Mufu, in Adola area north Haju River, 86 killed from the enemy forces and many wounded what has been said by NCP is completely lies. Khartoum regime is aiming with these attacks and media propaganda to achieve many things, to agitate and undermine the invitation by AUHIP chairman for peace talks in Addis Ababa on 5/3/013, continue refusal for humanitarian access to the needy people in Blue Nile and South Kordofan, boost the moral for NCP members after largely acceptance of dawn charter , and to divert the intention of the international community away from the serious reports and information from Darfur that says the Islamists insurgents who fled war in Mali have arrived Darfur under cover and protection of Khartoum regime. Arnu Ngutulu Lodi SPLM/A-N official spokesman الحركة الشعبية والجيش الشعبى لتحرير السودان-شمال مكتب الناطق الرسمى التاريخ: 19/02/013 بيـــــــــــــان هام بالرغم من نجاح المؤتمر الوطنى فى تشريد الالاف من المواطنين من منطقة مفو وما حولها بفعل الغارات الجوية والقصف المدفعى المكثف الذى بدأ منذ يوم 14/2/2013 كهدف رئيسى لة إلا ان قواته ومليشياته تكبدت خسائر كبيرة فى الارواح والعتاد العسكرى، لم تستطيع التقدم نحو مفو، ميك والروم رغم الإداعات الكاذبة والبيانات المضللة للشعب السودان، بل حول خسائره للجيش الشعبى لتحرير السودان دمرت قوات الجيش الشعبى لتحرير السودان-شمال متحرك بوط-الروم الذى كان متجها الى أولو يوم 16/2/2013 تشتيتا كاملا، والان تدور المعارك شمال خور هجو اى بمنطقة أدولة التى تقع على بعد 15 كلم شرق مفو بالقرب من خور البودى ونؤكد مقتل 86 من قوات العدو وجرح عدد كبير منهم ومن طرفنا استشهد 2 من المناضلين وجرح عدد 4 اخرين بجروح متفاوتة سعى نظام الخرطوم بهذا التحرك والفبركة الاعلامية لتحقيق عدد من الاغراض منها التشويش على الدعوة المقدمة الاتحاد الافريقى عبر الالية رفيعة المستوى بغرض بدأ التفاوض يوم 5/3/013 والاصرار على منع المساعدات الانسانية للمتضررين فى ولايتى النيل الازرق وجنوب كردفان، كما انه يريد رفع معنويات عضويته المنهارة نتيجة للتأييد الكبير الذى نالته وثيقة الفجر الجديد وايضا انة يريد تحويل انتباهـ وانظار المجتمع الدولى عن التقارير والمعلومات التى تؤكد دخول عناصر من الارهابين المتشددين من دولة مالى الى دارفور بحماية وتغطية من نظام المؤتمر الوطنى بالخرطوم. أرنو نقوتلو لودى الناطق الرسمى باسم الحركة الشعبية والجيش الشعبى لتحرير السودان – شمال-- END5 6. Sudan Troops Battle Rebels in Border Area By ISMA’IL KUSHKUSH NYT Published: February 19, 2013 KHARTOUM, Sudan — Sudanese forces said late Monday that they had captured an area from rebels in the restive state of Blue Nile in fierce fighting that led to the deaths of 66 rebels and several government soldiers. A statement by the rebel Sudanese People’s Liberation Army/Movement-North, however, disputed the Sudanese Army’s claims, saying its fighters had killed 86 soldiers, and a spokesman said the rebels still held the contested area, called Mufu. The Sudanese government has been struggling to control territory in Blue Nile and other areas along the border with South Sudan. Fighting in Blue Nile broke out in June 2011, a month before South Sudan seceded from Sudan, when fighters once allied with rebels in the south refused to disarm. Sudan says that South Sudan is supporting the rebels north of the border, a charge South Sudan denies. Fighting was also reported this week in the border state of South Kordofan, which has had more battles than Blue Nile. The Sudanese Media Center, a semiofficial news service believed to be close to Sudan’s security apparatus, said the fighting along the badly marked border was between the Messeiriya tribe and the South Sudanese military and had left 23 people dead. A resident of the area, who gave his name only as Yassir, confirmed the fighting, but he said it was unclear who was involved. Different tribes have historically clashed over grazing rights and water resources. A spokesman for the South Sudanese Army, Philip Aguer, could not be reached for comment. During the dry season, the Messeiriya, an Arab tribe, have historically moved south into what is now South Sudan to find more fertile grazing lands for their cattle. Unresolved issues between Sudan and South Sudan have mainly stopped the migration this year, leaving thousands of cattle vulnerable. The two countries remain at an impasse over issues like the creation of a buffer zone and what Sudan says is the South’s support for the rebels. As a result, South Sudan refuses to restart production of oil that flows through pipelines to the north and could aid the economies of both countries. On Friday, the United States issued a statement urging “both sides to refrain immediately from any actions that could further destabilize the border areas between South Sudan and Sudan.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/20/world/africa/fierce-fighting-breaks-out-in-restive-sudanese-state.html?_r=0 END6 7. SPLM-N denies losing ground to Sudanese army February 19, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan People Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) has denied announcement by Sudanese army (SAF) that it has liberated a rebel-controlled area in the restive Blue Nile state. Army spokesperson Colonel Al-Sawarmi Khalid Sa’ad was quoted on Monday by Sudan’s official news agency (SUNA) as saying that SAF had reclaimed Mafo in the state’s southwest from the rebels after launching an aerial and ground attack last week. However, SPLM-N’s official spokesman, Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, disputed the claims, calling the statements “misleading” and “media propaganda”. “What has been said by NCP [Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party] is completely lies”, said Lodi, maintaining Sudanese forces had not been able to enter Mafo, Maiek or Alrom areas as they had claimed. Lodi did concede however, that heavy aerial and long range artillery bombardments by the SAF which started last Thursday had inflicted heavy casualties on the rebel group and its military equipment, as well as displacing thousands of civilians from Mafo and surrounding areas. SPLM-N Secretary General Yassir Arman said in a previous statement that those civilians have been forced to flee closer to the Ethiopian and South Sudanese borders. The conflict in Blue Nile started in September 2011, a few months after neighbouring South Sudan seceded under a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of civil war. A few months earlier a similar conflict broke out in South Kordofan which also lies on the borders with South Sudan. Lodi said 86 Sudanese soldiers had been killed and many more wounded during the latest fighting, without providing details about SPLM-N losses. He also claimed his forces had destroyed a military convoy on Saturday which was heading to Ulu and fighting is continuing in the Adola area north of Haju River and 15km east of Mafo. Today the deputy governor of Blue Nile Adam Abakr Ismail said that SAF victory in Mafo has "killed" the rebels and put them in a corner after cutting their supply routes from South Sudan’s army. Ismail explained that the liberation of Mafo will contribute to the return of displaced civilians to their areas noting that the region is rich in minerals which he said will push the wheels of development in the state and the entire Sudan. SIGNIFICANT LOSSES In comments made to SUNA, Col. Sa’ad said that SPLM-N rebels had suffered significant losses, including 66 fighters, four tanks, four Land Cruiser vehicles and two tractors. Around 70 injured rebel fighters have since moved across the border into South Sudan, including three senior officers, while other groups fled to Wadka and Aura, Col. Sa’ad added. He acknowledged that an unspecified but “small” number of Sudanese soldiers were killed and injured. Lodi dismissed the claims, saying the NCP was using them as a smokescreen to boost flagging morale in the party after the opposition’s “New Dawn” charter called for the toppling of the regime, as well as to “agitate and undermine” proposed peace talks in Addis Ababa on 5 March. He further claimed the accusations were an attempt to divert attention from Khartoum’s continued refusal to allow humanitarian access to needy people in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states and reports emerging from Darfur that Islamist insurgents from Mali had arrived in the state under the protection of the Khartoum regime. CALLS FOR PEACE Meanwhile, in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, France expressed its concerns about the continued fighting between Sudanese government forces and the SPLM-N in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states. Paris called on both parties to negotiate an agreement on the cessation of hostilities as swiftly as possible, and to find a political solution to the ongoing crisis, as repeatedly requested by the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The UNSC permanent member also urged the parties to allow humanitarian assistance to be delivered in the two regions, in accordance with a joint commitment made by the Sudanese government and the SPLM-N in August 2012 to the AU, the Arab League and the United Nations. France also said it was concerned by the lack of progress in implementing the agreements both countries made on 27 September, as well as reports of a build-up of troops at the border. It urges the authorities of both countries to immediately implement the demilitarised zone along the border and to deploy international observers as set forth in the agreements of September 2012. The SPLM-N fought as part of the Southern rebel army during its war with the north, but were left on the Sudanese side of the border after partition. Khartoum accuses Juba of backing the rebels and has blocked the implementation of a number of deals they signed last year, including one on Southern oil exports, until the South severs its alleged ties with the group. The Sudanese government has so far refused to negotiate with SPLM-N rebels, fearing that it could be forced to accept wealth and power sharing arrangements similar to the ones included in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed with the South. (ST) http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article45583 END7 ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan, South Sudan Advisor [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile) +27 82 050 1235 (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 organisation1. -- -- 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. 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