Bomb Explodes Outside SPLM Office in Khartoum

Khartoum
May 25, 2009 (SRS)

A bomb exploded outside the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement northern sector office early on Monday morning. Three other devices were recovered intact at the scene. Ayar Makor Ayar, a security guard at the office, told journalists that he heard explosions after spotting a young man and an elderly man running away from the offices. They jumped into a car which was parked across the street and were driven away.

Ayar Mokor: “I was on duty here last night. I heard the noise of dogs barking. I got out and saw two guys running away and I called my colleague and told him that something unusual is happening outside. We came and inspected and saw nothing at first. Three minutes after returning inside the compound we heard explosions and there was smoke everywhere outside the compound.”

The SPLM spokesman, Yien Mathew, said they are not accusing anyone at the moment but he suggested the culprits could be those who are jealous of the SPLM’s progress in northern Sudan. He told journalists at the premises early Monday morning that the party leaders were being targeted.

Yien Mathew: First of all, this is not the first time they are targeting the leadership of SPLM. As you know, all political leaders face such threats. This is very clear; it has been done on purpose. It began in the newspapers. The SPLM is progressing in the northern sector, so the reason is very clear.”

Mathew went on to question the impartiality of the security forces, saying that the regular patrol car which is parked at a nearby junction was not seen at the time the suspects were spotted.

An SPLA officer, Garang Arech, who defused three other bombs outside the building, talked to Sudan Radio Service at the scene. He said that the bombs could have brought down the three-storey building and could have destroyed the nearby petrol station, which would have caused extensive damage to the surrounding area.

The police officer handling the investigation, Lieutenant Abazar al-Akhbas Ahmed, told Sudan Radio Service that he could not comment on the incident because an investigation was underway. He said that police headquarters would issue a statement “at an appropriate time”.

No one was injured in the explosions.

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