Africa

December 6, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan People's Liberation Movement -North claimed killing nine Sudanese government troops in an attack carried out near Dilling, north of Kadugli the capital if South Kordofan state Last Thursday.

A SPLA-N fighter stands near Gos village in the rebel-held territory of the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan, May 1, 2012. (Reuters)

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, SPLM-N official spokesperson Arnu Ngutulu Lodi said the government force was moving towards Kendkil garrison located 10km north of Dilling.

"Nine members of the (government) militias were killed during the operation. Our troops seized one RPG-7, one PK machine gun, and three Kalashnikov rifles," Lodi said.

He further said that their fighters are deployed throughout the region monitoring the reinforcement and movements of the government forces .

The rebel official stressed that "the head of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front" Malik Agar directed to repulse the Decisive Summer operations and defeat them".

The Sudanese army spokesperson was not reachable for comment.

Talks for a cessation of hostilities agreement under the auspice o the African Union didn't reach an agreement last November in Addis Ababa.

Following what the two parties announced preparations for military operations on the ground.

Before the resumption of the talks, the Sudanese army had announced an unilateral two-month cessation of hostilities while the Sudanese rebel groups said it would be for six-months.

(ST)

December 6, 2015 (RUMBEK) – South Sudanese returnees from the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, said they have become victims of rapists in Rumbek, Lakes state capital.

Displaced people walk after arriving by river barge from Bor to Awerial in South Sudan's Lakes State on Jan. 2, 2014 (Photo AP/Ben Curtis)

The female returnees who returned to the country since early 2011 and stayed in Rumbek have recently complained of high rape cases targeting the returnees in the outskirts of Rumbek town.

for rape and abuses being done to them in Khartoum-Jadid (New Khartoum) area by unknown armed men at night.

The returnees were given a new special residential area, called Khartoum-Jadid, in western part of Rumbek town, located 3 kilometres away from the town.

The residents have however begun to desert their homes and move into Rumbek town center to avoid being raped and physical torture at night by unknown gunmen whom they also accused of looting their priorities.

One of the returnees' representatives, Bajah, said that all houses without men in Khartoum-Jadid have been deserted because of fear.

“There are men with firearms that rape women and loot property at night. At night the gunmen come and order you to come out in your house and chances to rape you are high,” she said.

She appealed to the state government to quickly deploy police in the area to patrol at night and day. Abajah said that there are no police or security personnel deployed in Khartoum-Jadid which made the situation worse.

“We need police to be deployed in Khartoum-Jadid area,” she urged.

Meanwhile, Lakes state government claimed to have deployed forces in the area, but the community dismissed it as propaganda.

(ST)

December 6, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese armed opposition group, the SPLA-IO, under the leadership of former Vice-President, Riek Machar, said their cantonment areas came under attacks by forces loyal to President Salva Kiir in Western Bahr el-Ghazal state despite the ceasefire deal signed in August by the two warring parties to end the 21 months of violent conflict in the country.

SPLA soldiers in Malakal, capital of the battleground oil-state of Upper Nile on 15 May 2014 (Photo AFP/Ivan Lieman)

Official spokesman of the opposition leadership confirmed that attacks were reported on Saturday on their bases.

“Forces loyal to the regime in Juba have continued to target our cantonment areas in clear violation of the ceasefire and security arrangements,” said James Gatdet Dak.

“On Saturday government forces attacked our cantonment area in Bazia. They have been however repulsed, but fighting has continued even on Sunday,” he said.

He accused government forces of targeting civilians in the area, saying President Salva Kiir's forces falsely accused civilians of being supporters of the opposition fighters in the area.

Dak called on the government to respect the ceasefire and stop targeting cantonment areas across the country.

Earlier, the opposition faction accused government forces of air raiding Mundri cantonment area in Western Equatoria state in which they lost two Brigadier Generals and a number of soldiers in the attack.

The two parties in October agreed on a security arrangement to assemble their respective forces in cantonment areas, pending reunification process for at least 18 months of the transitional period.

The attacks came as members of the advance team from the opposition group are preparing to travel to Juba for the implementation of the peace agreement.

Other unofficial unreliable sources also claimed that government forces were matching towards the Lou-Nuer area to attack it in Jonglei state.

(ST)

December 6, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Central Darfur Governor Jaafar Abdel-Hakam has announced that a recent audit in his State bodies has revealed enormous administrative corruption .

Central Darfur governor, Jaafar Abdel Hakam (Photo SUNA)

"Wide administrative corruption was discovered with respect to salaries .It was found that a big number of workers collect salaries without reporting to their jobs .The pay sheets also contained names of workers who had already died or moved to other occupations elsewhere,'' said the governor following a meeting of the state's cabinet, on Sunday.

He said the meeting has also issued a firm directive as regards the speedy implementation of President Omer al-Bashir's decree to computerize the government salaries and payments.

Any hesitation or delay in implementing this decree will be seen as administrative corruption and an obstruction of the administrative reform adopted by the government, he further warned.

In this respect, the Central Darfur Government had directed the local banks to open accounts for all the state's employees as of last November.

After endorsing the State's budget for 2016, the Government has also urged all ministries and municipalities to stop any employee who is on leave for learning purposes or who is absent from his job without any legal permission.

The Government has also stopped any appointments in scales 14 and 17. It said appointments in scale 9 should only be made through the public service recruitment committee from now onwards.

(ST)

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