Africa

December 6, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) on Tuesday said it has conducted the largest military exercises in its history in the presence of President Omer al-Bashir and senior army commanders.

SAF troops march during the concluding ceremony of Northern Thunder in Saudi Arabia on March 12, 2016 (ST Photo)

The military maneuvers “Knights' Challenge” were conducted at Al-Ma'aqil military area in the River Nile state as part of SAF's 2016 training program.

SAF's Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Emad al-Din Mustafa Adawi said the exercise was the largest in the history of the Sudanese army, pointing the new strategy of the exercises involves the largest war formation from all military units.

Adawi, who addressed the military units participating in the ““Knights' Challenge” maneuvers, pointed that the training programme aims to raise combat efficiency and readiness in order to enable SAF face regional and international challenges and threats.

He said this year's training programme is considered a model in terms of the preparation and performance, adding that SAF remained faithful to its command and the Sudanese people.

Adawi underscored SAF's readiness not only to fight the rebel movements but also to secure the borders effectively.

The Sudanese army has been fighting the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) rebels in Blue Nile and South Kordofan since 2011 and a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

For his part, al-Bashir expressed commitment to provide all military needs and equipments for SAF in order to achieve security and stability in the country, stressing importance to build a strong army through continued training.

He hailed SAF's sacrifices at all battle fronts, expressing appreciation to all participants and organizers of this year's training programme.

(ST)

December 6, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Tuesday has said that his country will receive a $500 million central bank deposit from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir (C) flanked by Abu Dhabi crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (L) and UAE vice-president Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum (R) in Abu Dhabi on 22 February 2015

On Thursday, al-Bashir and his accompanying delegation concluded a four-day visit to the rich Gulf state where he discussed bilateral ties between the two countries.

In a meeting that lasted until the early morning hours of Tuesday, al-Bashir briefed the leadership office of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) on the outcome of his visit to the UAE.

Following the meeting, NCP deputy chairman for party affairs and presidential aide Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid said that al-Bashir informed the meeting that the UAE has agreed to deposit a $500 million with Sudan's central bank (CBoS).

According to Hamid, al-Bashir also said the UAE has pledged to cover Sudan's gasoline consumption for 6 month and to build a solar power plant that produces 1000 megawatts through the Build Operate Transfer (BOT).

The NCP deputy chairman further described the outcome of al-Bashir's visit to the UAE as real support for the national economy and efforts to increase production.

It is noteworthy that al-Bashir's visit to the UAE came amid popular unrest and civil disobedience following the government decision to lift oil, electricity and drug subsidy.

Sudan's economy was hit hard since the southern part of the country declared independence in July 2011, taking with it about 75% of the country's oil output.

In its latest consultation report on Sudan in October, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Sudan's already low foreign exchange reserves dropped to 1½ month of imports.

Last month, CBoS introduced an incentive policy and increased the exchange rate in commercial banks and exchanges by 131%. As a result, the U.S. dollar exchange rate went up in banks to 15.8 SDG in comparison with to the official rate of 6.5 SDG.

As a result, the U.S. dollar hit another historic high against the pound on the black market settling at 18.8 Sudanese pounds.

(ST)

December 6, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan army (SPLA) on Tuesday said it repulsed attempts by the armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) fighters to take control of Yei town, the administrative headquarters of South Sudan's newly-created Yei state.

Brigadier General Lul Ruai Koang, SPLA spokesperson, is seen at a containment site outside of the capital Juba on April 14, 2016. (AFP Photo)

The army's spokesman, Lul Koang Ruai said the rebels "unsuccessfully" attacked government-held positions around Yei town over the weekend.

“It is not true. This is a white lie. There are no rebels I know operating in Equatoria state. What happened is that some "armed criminals attacked positions held by our forces around Yei over the weekend”, explained Koang.

"And they (SPLA) responded overwhelmingly with a deadly firepower. Our special forces were involved in ground attack and they were given very good air support by the SPLA Airforce”, he added.

The military spokesman said armed men engaged by their forces attacked Kargulu, Lasu, and Umbasi areas near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), adding that government had sent more troops aided with the Airforce cover.

Local officials and residents confirmed, in a series of interviews, the new offensives.

Government forces, according to multiple sources, were using ground and air strikes.

South Sudan government is waging an offensive war to recapture all areas held by armed opposition fighters in the area in preparation for dry season offensives.

The United States on Monday accused South Sudan government of deploying thousands of troops to Equatoria region, increasing prospects of violence escalation.

Fighting between government forces and the armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) escalated to Central Equatoria state when violence erupted in Juba last July.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced from their homes to neighboring countries after their villages were also destroyed during intense fighting between the rival forces in violation of an initially-agreed upon ceasefire.

The United Nations has warned of possible genocide in South Sudan which the U.S said needed to be averted by holding leaders accountable and imposing arms embargo.

(ST)

December 6, 2016 (JUBA) – Armed men abducted a local South Sudan leader in the troubled Yei River state over the weekend, officials said on Tuesday.

Julius Tabule, the Commissioner of newly created Kangapo County in Kajo-Keji, Yei River State was taken at gunpoint while attending a funeral services in Bori, a village close to South Sudan – Uganda border on Sunday.

Yei River Governor David Lokonga Moses told a local radio station in Juba on Tuesday that Commissioner Tabule was kidnapped by “unknown gunmen.”

“In fact, he went for prayers of funeral, then he ended up in the hands of these unknown gunmen who abducted him and we don't know [his whereabouts now]. I am still not getting details, but I am trying to establish contacts,” Lokongo told Juba's based Eye Radio.

A resident of Kajo-Keji told Sudan Tribune that two armed men stormed the funeral services on Sunday and led away the commissioner.

“The gunmen cocked their guns and asked the mourners ‘who is the commissioner here?'. The commissioner identified himself and they led him into his own car and ordered the driver to drive all of them away,” said the source who preferred to keep anonymity.

Many civilians fled the area to Uganda following the kidnapping of the local administrator.

Government sources have blamed the armed SPLM In Opposition for the abduction though this has not been independently confirmed.

Last Sunday SPLM-Io rebels who are active in the area said they captured Lasu\Lonbongo in Yei River State.

(ST)

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