SPLA Denies UN Claim That SPLA Is Still in Blue Nile and S Kordofan

Juba
26 July 2007 (Sudan Radio Service)

The SPLA is refuting claims by the United Nations peacekeeping force in Sudan that the SPLA has not fully redeployed its troops from Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan.

SPLA spokesman Major General Kuol Deim told Sudan Radio Service in Juba that claims by the UN force commander, Lt. Gen. Jasbir Lidder, that the SPLA still has troops in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan are incorrect. He said the UN even witnessed the withdrawal of SPLA troops from those areas earlier this month.

[Kuol Deim]: “On the ninth [of July], we went to Kurmuk—by UN helicopter, not the SPLA helicopter. So for the UN to come and say today that they were not notified and they were the ones flying us? This is not true! UN was there! I was surprised by the [press] releases of General Jasbir that they did not witness. It is not true! Am surprised! Am surprised!”

Gen. Kuol said that only some SPLA tanks have remained in those states because they are too heavy to be transported during the rainy season.

The UN’s Miraya Radio had quoted the UN’s General Lidder as saying on Monday that not all SPLA forces have been withdrawn from the two areas.

The Nuba Mountains Homepage was made by Nanne op 't Ende.
You can contact me here.