Africa-Press – South-Sudan. President Salva Kiir said on Wednesday that he has convinced the leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), Abdel Aziz Adam Al-Hilu, to cease further attacks on the Sudanese army.
Kiir made the remarks during a mega rally in South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal state’s capital Wau, where he launched his presidential campaign for the 2024 elections that is provided for in South Sudan’s revitalized peace agreement.
“I convinced the SPLM-North under Abdel Aziz Al-Hilu to stop the attacks against the Sudanese army and advised him against falling into unknown trap,” he said.
Last month, Al-Hilu’s forces attacked several areas in Southern Kordofan state including Daleng, as well as some parts of the Blue Nile State, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of families to neighboring Ethiopia.
The South Sudanese head of state stressed during the rally that these recent attacks by the SPLM-N in Southern Kordofan complicate efforts to end the deadly conflict between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
Kiir’s announcement comes as the Sudanese army is engaged in a deadly conflict with Rapid Support Forces, a rebellious paramilitary group that was formed by former President Omar el Bashir several years ago to help fight rebels in Darfur.
The conflict began on April 15 after the paramilitary group attacked several government and army positions in the capital Khartoum including the General Command of the Sudanese Army in an attempt to “arrest” head of the army Gen. Abdelfattah el Burhan.
The international community has called on both sides to cease hostilities and focus on reaching a political settlement, but they have not shown interest in ending the conflict.
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