Africa

January 2, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Egyptian government denied it seeks to hold bilateral talks with Ethiopia on the disputed Renaissance Dam in a way to exclude Sudan from the discussions on the Blue Nile water shares.

Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi (L), Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir (C) and Ethiopian prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn shake hands during a meeting in Khartoum on 23 March 2015 on the planned Grand Renaissance dam (Photo: Ashraf Shazly/AFP)

Following a meeting in Addis Ababa with his Ethiopian counterpart On 26 December, the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry proposed to include the World Bank in the tripartite discussions on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) at the level of the technical committee.

By the end of 2017, The Addis Fortune, an Ethiopian newspaper disclosed that Shoukry proposed also to exclude Sudan from the talks.

The proposition came after the failure of a technical meeting held in Cairo last November to agree on a report prepared by two French consulting firms.

Cairo wants separate technical talks because Addis Ababa refuses to acknowledge the 1959 agreement just like its rejection of the Nile water treaty of 1929, the newspaper explained.

It further cited a statement to the press by the Egyptian top diplomat saying that “The case Egypt has with Sudan is completely different with Ethiopia's case, and it is necessary to differentiate the two”.

But the Egyptian foreign ministry on Tuesday denied that the Egyptian minister had proposed to exclude Sudan from the process, stressing they wanted to include the World Bank for its expertise.

"The Egyptian proposal to request the participation of the World Bank as a neutral party in the negotiations of the Tripartite Technical Committee was also officially submitted to the Sudanese government," said Ahmed Abu Zeid the spokesperson of the Egyptian foreign ministry.

"Egypt is waiting for both Ethiopia and Sudan to respond to the proposal in as soon as possible," Abu Zeid further added.

The Egyptian diplomat called on the media to be cautious against publishing false information poiting that Minister Shoukry told reporters in Addis Ababa about Egypt's intention to submit the World Bank participation proposal to Sudan within days.

Following the failure of the Cairo meeting last November, the Sudanese water resources who represented his country in the meeting said they reject the French study because it ignored the baseline and the terms of reference (ToR) the French consulting firms had to observe in their report.

According to the Sudanese side, the two firms, BRL and Artelia, in their study on the GERD impact on Egypt and Sudan didn't observe the 1959 agreement between Sudan and Egypt over the Nile water based on the 1929 treaty.

In line with the bilateral deal, Egypt has the right to 55.5 billion cubic meters of Nile water a year and Sudan 18.5 billion cubic meters per year. But in fact Sudan does not use its share.

However, Sudanese officials say the dam will allow the full use of Sudan's share.

(ST)

January 2, 2018 (NYALA) - Two elements from the government militia Rapid Support Forces (SRF) have been seriously wounded in clashes with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Monday at Otash camp, some three kilometres east of South Darfur State capital, Nyala.

Fighters from the Rapid Support Forces sit in an armed vehicle in Nyala, south Darfur, displaying weapons they say they captured from the Justice and Equality Movement rebels on May 13, 2015 (AFP Photo/Ashraf Shazly)

Deputy Chairman of IDPs and Refugees Association Adam Abdalla Idris told Sudan Tribune Tuesday the clashes occurred after two RSF elements refused to pay for a meal had eaten at a restaurant inside the camp, forcing the restaurant owner to inform the camp police.

He added the police sought to arrest the RSF elements but they resisted their orders and fired at them until they ran out of ammunition.

“Then a group of IDPs attacked [the two RSF elements] and harshly beat them, causing them serious injuries,” said Idris

According to Idris, the police barely pulled off the two elements of the hands of the IDPs and rushed them to hospital.

He pointed out that the situation at the camp is calm but expressed fear of a possible revenge by the RSF, calling on the government to enhance police presence in the camp to prevent targeting of IDPs.

A reliable source told Sudan Tribune the North Nyala Police hasn't completed the filing of the charges because the injured RSF elements are being treated.

He added the security organs are monitoring the conditions closely to deal with any kind of lawlessness situation.

In 2014, the presence of RSF in North Kordofan state capital of El-Obeid drew widespread condemnation from residents who accused it of spreading terror.

These forces were blamed for looting commercial markets and killing of a merchant in El-Obeid leading to massive protests across the city.

Also, in 2014 the RSF recruits in Sulait camp clashed with residents of Hattab village in Khartoum North leading to the intervention of the Sudanese army.

The RSF militia was originally mobilised by the Sudanese government to quell the insurgency that broke out in Sudan's western region of Darfur in 2003.

Last year, the Sudanese parliament passed RSF Act which integrates the notorious militia in the Sudanese army and provides that its commander is appointed by the President of the Republic.

(ST)

January 2, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - A senior diplomat at Sudan's Foreign Ministry Tuesday said his country's foreign policy isn't based on engagement in regional or international axes but seeks to achieve common interests through joint cooperation.

In recent months, Sudan has made some moves that were seen as inconsistent and contradictory to what has been perceived as the country's declared foreign policy.

State Foreign Minister Atta al-Manan Bakhit said Sudan's foreign relation “is based on the joint interests not the policy of axes”.

He told the semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) that Khartoum pursues a balanced foreign policy that takes into consideration the interests of the country and meets aspirations of the Sudanese people.

Bakhit pointed out that Sudan seeks to continue its active role among the international community to achieve regional peace, saying relations with the neighbours has witnessed significant improvement.

He vowed that Sudan would continue to open up to the regional and international community in order to achieve political and economic integration in all fields.

Following the visit of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Khartoum last week, the Egyptian media and a Saudi newspaper slammed an alleged Sudanese - Turkish deal to build a military naval base on Sudan's Red Sea coast island of Suakin.

They pointed that it aims to destabilise the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi who removed from power the Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

Observers in Khartoum saw the media attack in the Egyptian media and Saudi newspaper as a coordinated campaign by the anti-Qatar alliance countries on the government of President al-Bashir.

Also, the U.S. Administration last October permanently lifted 20-year-old economic sanctions against Sudan citing positive actions on humanitarian access and counter-terrorism.

However, during his first visit to Russia since he came to power in 1989, President Omer al-Bashir last November asked President Vladimir Putin to support his country against American plans against Sudan accusing Washington of planning to divide the country into five states.

(ST)

January 2, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The United States Administration on Monday has expressed hope that the U.S./Sudanese relations witness further improvement during 2018.

“The United States looks forward to another year of growth in the U.S.-Sudan relationship,” said the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a press statement on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of Sudan's independence.

He also wished “the people of Sudan a joyous celebration and a peaceful year ahead”.

Last October, the U.S. Administration permanently lifted 20-year-old economic sanctions against Sudan citing positive actions on humanitarian access and counter-terrorism.

However, Washington left other sanctions in place for the time being, including those against individuals with arrest warrants related to atrocities committed during the conflict in Darfur.

Also, it didn't remove Sudan's name from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

The two countries are engaged in a five-track process towards the full normalization of relations.

The process includes the fight against terrorism, Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Sudan's role in the peace process in South Sudan, Sudan's peace and the humanitarian situation in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

(ST)

January 2, 2018 (JUBA)- South Sudan government Tuesday denied violating the cessation of hostilities brokered by the IGAD mediators, saying its cabinet had approved the agreement and directed the army to comply.

The Information minister and the government spokesman told the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation that the practice of apportioning blames was encouraging violations.

“When two people go to court, one of them gets charged and the other gets the answer. Not all of them get punished. What those involved in monitoring the ceasefire do encourages the continuation of violations. You cannot punish all. The violator has to be identified and made to account. The council of ministers after the return of the delegation from Addis Ababa approved the cessation of hostilities agreement and the cabinet gave directive through the ministry of defence and other relevant institutions to comply with the directive,” explained Minister Michael Makuei Lueth.

The government spokesperson blamed the armed opposition forces for having been responsible for violations in a number of places in the country, pointing to recent developments in Equatoria region, Bahr el Ghazal region specifically the incident in which humanitarian workers were abducted and Southern Leer and Koch County in unity region as well as in areas of Akobo.

“The so called rebels of Riek Machar have never violated any ceasefire and instead of holding them to account for these clear violates, those who are charged with the monitoring and report these violations continue to make their reports calling on the parties to stop. This is not correct and this kind of reporting is the one that is encouraging continuous violation by the rebels,” said Lueth.

His comments follow a statement released by members of the Troika countries - Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States - condemning the violation of the ceasefire agreement.

The three countries condemned through a joint statement on Tuesday the violations of the agreement on the cessation of hostilities signed in Addis Ababa on 21 December by what they consider as the warring parties in South Sudan.

The statement called on all signatories of the cessation of hostilities agreement, and the field commanders to immediately end all military operations, urging the warring parties to put the South Sudanese people's well-being ahead of their own narrow political interests.

“We also call on all CoH parties, and every level of government, to abide by the November 9 Presidential Order for unfettered humanitarian access. We further call for full cooperation with CTSAMM in meeting its CoH responsibilities, and with UNMISS in carrying out its UN Security Council mandate – as both are working for the South Sudanese people's greater good,” the statement reads.

The troika countries, which are also the guarantors of the peace agreement, pointed out that the field commanders, and their political superiors, will be held accountable for violating the cessation of hostilities agreement, impeding humanitarian aid, and hindering CTSAMM and UNMISS operations.

The countries commended IGAD for its leadership of the High-Level Revitalization Forum, pointing out that: “We insist all participants engage in the Forum with seriousness of purpose and genuine commitment to bringing lasting peace to the South Sudanese people”.

(ST)

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January 1, 2018 (NYALA) - The last batch of Sudanese refugees returning from the neighbouring Central Africa Republic (CAR) arrived in Nyala airport on Monday, ending over 10 years of asylum.

The group is part of over 1500 Sudanese refugees who arrived from Dafak in South Darfur state. they sought protection in the Central African Republic saying their homes had been bombarded by the government planes in May 2007.

On 12 December 2017, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) begun the repatriation of the 402 remaining Sudanese refugees in the troubled Central Africa country.

The Nyala city and UNHCR organized a reception for the last batch of 45 returnees.

Speaking at the reception the head of refugees office at the municipality Mubarak Zachariah welcomed the returnees and announced they would be transported to Dafak on Wednesday.

He added that some 1039 returnees have already arrived to their home area and called on the returnees to renounce tribalism and work to establish a new future.

Earlier last December, the UNGCR said the Sudanese government has pledged to implement international standards governing refugee returns - including the benefit of amnesties, as well as UNHCR's role in monitoring the returns.

For his part, the UNHCR representative thanked the Sudanese authorities for facilitating the return of returnees.

He pledged to provide all services to the returnees including health care, water and education in coordination with the relevant organizations and ministries.

Dafak, group was part of some 3500 Sudanese refugees who fled to the Central African Republic from South Darfur state in 2007 during the armed conflict between the government army and rebel groups.

Sudanese refugees in the Central African Republic were being hosted in Pladama Ouaka camp, near Bambari.

UN agencies estimate that 650,000 Sudanese refugees live in the neighbouring countries - including Chad and South Sudan. The government called on the refugees to return home but the lack of means and infrastructure hamper the refugees' return.

Also, the lack of political agreement with the armed groups is seen as another factor for the slow return of refugees.

(ST)

January 1, 2018 (JUBA) - South Sudan rebel leader, Riek Machar on Monday unveil members of the armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) who are to be part of the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), the body that monitors the cessation agreement.

South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar addresses a news conference in Uganda's capital Kampala January 26, 2016 (Reuters photo)

The SPLA-IO deputy spokesperson, Lam Paul Gabriel on Monday confirmed the decision taken by the exiled armed opposition leader.

“Yes, the Leadership and the Commander in Chief of the SPLA-IO Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon has put in place a body of monitors from amongst the SPLA-IO forces at Sector and Division Levels to monitor and report all violations of the agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian access,” said Lam.

The armed opposition-formed CTSAMM, he said, came into effect on 31 December 2017 and that the body will continue until SPLM/A-IO members are nominated for the restructured (CTSAMM).

“These officers shall receive and work with visiting delegations of the regional and international members of CTSAMM in their respective locations of deployment in the SPLM/A-IO controlled areas,” stressed Lam.

Meanwhile the armed opposition leader, now exiled in South Africa, has urged both the international and regional monitoring groups to reach out to areas under SPLA-IO forces control in order to document any violations of the agreement on cessation of hostilities.

South Sudan's warring factions have each traded accusations against each other for violations, despite signing a ceasefire deal on 21 December as part of the revitalization of the 2015 peace accord.

(ST)

January 1, 2018 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese army (SPLA) admitted on Monday that associates of General Paul Malong Awan, the former army staff of staff fled the country to neigbouring Sudan.

Former South Sudan army chief of staff, General Paul Malong Awan speaks at the presidential palace in Juba, November 16, 2017 (ST)

Lieutenant General Santino Deng Wol, commander of the ground forces told Sudan Tribune that the former Aweil North county commissioner and his Madhol county counterpart fled the country.

The two former officials, according to the army officer, were still in active list in the army with ranks of colonel and lieutenant colonels.

“It is true we have received a report from local people that former Madhol county commissioner Manut Yel Lual and former Aweil North county commissioner Kuol Athuai Hal, are not in the area. We are told they fled the country to an area called Merrem in Sudan,” said Wol.

He added, “We don't know the reason. The local authorities are investigating the cause”.

The official did not, however, hint on what the army would do to assure the deserted officers of their safety.

In November last year, a South Sudanese military commander said he had defected with more than 200 soldiers to the country's largest rebel group, amid a showdown between President Salva Kiir and the country's former military chief of general staff.

Lt. Col. Chan Garang, an ally of Awan, said he defected to fight President Kiir's regime.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than two million displaced in South Sudan's worst violence since the young nation seceded from Sudan in July 2011.

(ST)

By Peter Adwok Nyaba

The Republic of South Sudan is in deep social, economic and political crises. There seems no exit out of this situation except by complete destruction and transformation of Kiir's ethnocentric totalitarian regime. The IGAD and international community's attempts to revitalize the agreement on the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS) signed in August 2015 will only raise false hopes in the people. The CoH signed on 21st December is already a dead document consequent to its violation before the ink dried on the paper. The February 2018 resumption is likely to carry no meaningful impact due to competing for respective national security, economic and political interests of these countries, their lack of legal and diplomatic tools to force the regime to implement the agreement or any of its variants, and fragmentation of the political and armed opposition to the regime.

The political and military weakness of the SPLM/A (IO), which inadvertently led to the proliferation of political and armed opposition groups and the resultant collective weakness inherent in their divisions and in-fighting created a political-military situation that allows the regime to perpetuate itself in power in spite of the deepening economic collapse, state failure and collapse of its institutions. The regime is banking on the military defeat of the SPLM/A (IO) and ensnaring the people into believing that peace is around the corner. The people of South Sudan enter the New Year 2018 without hope for peace, social harmony and meaningful change in their economic hardship. The continued government military offensive throughout 2017 preventing the rural population from engaging in agriculture and food production means that famine, already recorded in many places, is bound to force mass displacement and heightened humanitarian catastrophe in South Sudan In fact, millions are already in refugee camps in DR Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. The civil war has raged this long because the regime, the armed opposition and the political opposition stand on the same ideological platform.

The dominance of right-wing idiosyncrasies prevented the evolution and cultivation in the SPLM/A (IO) of scientific knowledge of the contradiction underpinning the civil war, and the emergence of critical and strategic thinking in the conduct of the war and charting the appropriate solutions. This rendered peace with the regime its leadership's overriding preoccupation in order to recapture the lost power position, while Kiir's lack of interest in power-sharing rekindled the fighting and returned the country to war. Power for its sake rather than destruction and transformation of the totalitarian regime drives the divisions within the opposition and absorbs their political energy. This struggle centred on leadership and personal power will therefore soon lead the opposition groups to a dead end. The SPLM/A (IO) now managed from a house arrest in South Africa may not sustain itself without an ideological shift, and as long as some individuals in the membership entertain the falsehood that only Dr Riek Machar can provide leadership notwithstanding his personal failures

The SPLM as a leading political force in South Sudan has outlived its relevance consequent to the CPA 2005 and the independence of South Sudan in 2011, which both terminated the task of war of national liberation. The present situation is a direct product of the SPLM leadership failure and explains why attempts at reunification of the SPLM (IG), SPLM (Taban Deng Gai) and SPLM (FPDs) bordering of a treacherous auction of South Sudan's sovereignty in Cairo and Entebbe, is not making any headway. Although ideological basis exist for the reunification of those factions nevertheless their greed for power and lack of concern for the suffering of the people does not allow them to sacrifice individual positions.

The current political crisis in the country should be viewed in a positive light as the drivers of change and social transformation. The fundamental contradictions remain the centuries-old condition of socio-economic and cultural backwardness of the masses manifested in abject poverty, ignorance, illiteracy and superstition that submerged their consciousness and render them susceptible to manipulation by the political leaders. The ethnocentric totalitarian regime will not succeed to resolve this fundamental contradiction even if it won the civil war as long as it pursues liberal economic policies that link South Sudan, in an asymmetrical relationship, to the global comprador capitalism in the context of extraction and plunder of its natural resources. The essence of national liberation was to completely free the national productive forces from every kind of foreign domination.

South Sudan is living what the Marxist categorize as the stage of the national democratic revolution. The masses of South Sudan are inspired by freedom, justice, fraternity and prosperity. They readily mobilize and engage in armed struggle to realize these ideals. They did this as Anya-nya during the first civil war against the oppressive regime in Khartoum; they did it again as Anya-nya 2 against General Gaafar Mohamed Nimeri; they rose in their tens of thousands in the SPLM/A in the twenty-one year war of national liberation from the minority clique regimes. They are now in arms against Kiir's ethnocentric totalitarian regime. The missing link in their struggle remains the inability of the right-wing leadership to tie up the struggle against Kiir's regime to the issues of social and economic development to transform the oppressive reality that submerges their consciousness. Thus, in the last four years, it was a war for personal power not for transforming the oppressive reality. This is obvious in the areas that the SPLM/A (IO) had controlled since 2013. There is nothing to show for the struggle the people have waged.

It has become imperative to break this vicious cycle. The way to do it is for all the patriotic revolutionary and democratic forces wherever they are whether in the different political and military factions or in the civil society to rise to the task of saving the country from imminent collapse, dismemberment and disappearance into the oblivion. Let us make the year 2018, the year of decisive action against the war for personal power ambition. We can make a difference by mobilizing, organizing and unifying our ranks across ethnic and provincial lines to transform this situation into a revolution; the national democratic revolution and the construction of the national democratic state to address the fundamental contradictions in state and society. This requires us to create discussion groups and fora to educate ourselves and our people about the tasks before us and to build consensus around these issues. Whether a soldier, a civilian; a politician or a laity you have an important role to play in transforming this situation of apathy and helplessness. Let us raise high social awareness and political consciousness.

The time to save our country is now or never!! 2018 is the year of decisive action!!! Soon, unless there is decisive action, life under the regime will equal death!!!!

January 1, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Minister of Water Resources and Electricity Muataz Musa would appear before the parliament Tuesday to respond to an urgent question about the recent increase in electricity tariff.

National Assembly building in Omdurman

The Sudanese cabinet last week approved electricity price increase for some segments including the residential areas which consumes over 1500 kilowatts per month.

The National Assembly on Tuesday would listen to the response of the minister to an urgent question from the independent MP Mohamed Ali Mohamed Adam on the price increase.

According to the Ministry of Electricity, the government would continue to subsidize the consumption of residential areas up to 1500 kilowatts per month (about 2300 pounds (SDG)).

Also, the Ministry said it would increase electricity tariff for private universities and hospitals, saying the agricultural sector and small-scale producers won't be affected by the price rise.

On the other hand, the electricity tariff increase in the industrial sector wouldn't include the pharmaceutical industry and the refrigeration and ice stores.

It is noteworthy that the government approved the increase in electricity price under the pretext of correcting “distortions” in the tariff.

Sudan lost 75% of its oil reserves after the southern part of the country became an independent nation in July 2011, denying the north billions of dollars in revenues. Oil revenue constituted more than half of Sudan's revenue and 90% of its exports

Protests erupted in Sudan's major towns in September 2013 following an announcement by the government that it was reducing subsidies on fuel and other basic commodities, leading to calls for regime change. At least 200 protesters died, 15 of them children and more than 800 others have been detained.

(ST)

January 1, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Joint Political and Security Committee (JPSC) between Sudan and South Sudan will meet in Juba on 8 January, said South Sudan's Ambassador to Khartoum Mayan Dut Waal

South Sudanese Ambassador to Khartoum Mayan Dut Waal

In statements to the official news agency SUNA, Waal said the JPSC would discuss ways to implement the cooperation agreements signed between the two countries.

He expressed hope that Sudan witnesses security and stability to enhance cooperation between Juba and Khartoum.

The Ambassador further conveyed good wishes of South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit to the Sudanese peoples and leadership on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of Sudan's independence.

He hoped that Sudan enjoys prosperity and that the anniversary of independence would be an opportunity to achieve development and stability in the country.

In September 2012, both Sudan and South Sudan signed a series of cooperation agreements, which covered oil, citizenship rights, security issues, banking, border trade among others.

The two countries in March 2013 signed an implementation matrix for these cooperation agreements. However, the execution of the agreements didn't go according to the plan.

South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9th, 2011 following a referendum on whether the semi-autonomous region should remain a part of the country or become independent. 99% of the southern voters chose independence.

Relations between the two nations soured after South Sudan's independence following a series of disputes over a number of issues and accusations of support to rebel groups.

(ST)

December 31, 2017 (ZALINGEI) - The governor of Central Darfur Ga'afar Abdel-Hakam said that the national campaign to collect weapons and the unlicensed vehicle has collected more than 6,000 weapons.

In press statements on Sunday, the governor said the total of arms seized within the framework of the forcible weapons collection launched last October has reached 6164 arms including small arms, guns and large quantities of ammunition, as well as.

The authorities also captured 523 motorcycles and 150 four wheel drive vehicles (Land Cruiser).

The governor said the intelligence unit of the weapons collection campaign has information about the hideouts of weapons and ammunition in the state and would attack it at any time.

Also, he said the collected weapons have been seized in three operations conducted in six of the nine districts in the state, adding the fourth operation will be launched in the localities of Jebel Marra in the coming days.

The Central Darfur governor recently threatened to attacks the positions of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement -Abdel Wahid al-Nur in Jebel Marra, when he said the weapons collection campaign include the areas where they are present.

On 20 December 2017, he told the state legislative assembly that the unilateral cessation of hostilities does not include Darfur, stressing that the western Sudan region is free of rebels.

(ST)

January 1, 2018 (KHARTOUM) — President Omer al-Bashir confirmed that the Sudanese army would continue to take part in the military coalition led by Saudi Arabia against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Following the recent visit Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Sudan, some Saudi newspapers joined the Egyptian media in its verbal attacks on the Sudanese government for the alleged signing of an agreement to build a military base on the Red Sea coast island of Suakin.

In a speech he delivered on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of Sudan's Independence, al-Bashir reiterated the participation of the Sudanese troops in support of legitimacy in Yemen and to crash the rebels who also threaten the security of the Two Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia.

Sudan's "participation was imposed by our religious values and our moral heritage in the fight against terrorism and aggression," said the Sudanese president before to add "We will continue this participation until it achieves its noble goals".

He further commended "all those who supported and supported the lifting of the sanctions against Sudan, and mentioned the Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the Arab Maghreb countries, as well as the African countries' stance through their union and bilateral positions, particularly Ethiopia, Chad, South Africa and Rwanda.

Al-Bashir didn't mention the name of Egypt, among the countries he thanked for their efforts to cancel the 20-year economic sanctions on Sudan.

Sudanese officials were annoyed by the association of a Saudi newspaper to the Egyptian media attacks and the Sudanese embassy in Riyadh released a statement to denounce the articles published by the daily.

In a move to close this row, Okaz published in its second page under a large headline the messages of congratulation sent by King Salman and the Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman to President Omer al-Bashir on Sudan's Independence Day.

(ST)

December 31, 2017 (JUBA)- South Sudan President Salva Kiir claimed on Sunday war has continued to keep him in the affairs of the country against his will and the family.

President Salva Kiir addresses the nation at the South Sudan National Parliament in Juba, November 18, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Jok Solomon)

“There are people talking about me all the times and I am tired of all these nonsense. If it were not because of this senseless war, I would be resting already with my family,” said President Kiir.

He was reacting to a question asked by his wife in which she asking him to reconcile with the former army chief of staff, Paul Malong Awan, describing the later as more than a colleague but a brother.

“Kiir, Malong is your brother and if you know people who were with us, Malong Awan is one of them. The government is big and like I heard John Garang once said, the government has so many rooms, why don't you accommodate Malong so that all these talks are stopped,” said Mary Ayen, president Kiir's wife.

The first lady asked the president to lead the country well like he was fighting during the liberation war.

Presidential sources told Sudan Tribune that the former chief of staff has escalated lobbying and use of associates to rebel as a way to draw the attention of the president to his grievances.

“Paul Malong is using all strategies. He is using friends to rebel and talking to people to talk to the president. The family of the president, particularly his wife and his brother in law are the one championing his return to the government campaign,” a presidential aide told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.

“Now someone called Manut Awek, or Manut Yel Lual and certain Kuol Athuai Hal have rebelled in Aweil. I understand he was one of the county commissioners when Paul Malong was the governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Manut was the tax collector in Warawar. Now there has been this nonsense that Garang Chan and his group are around Juba and they will attack anytime. All are parts of the political propaganda to persuade the president to appoint Malong back into the government so that when he is appointed he will talk to them to return. These are all outdated strategies,” said the source.

The former chief of staff while speaking at the thanksgiving prayer services in Kampala last week denied pursuing war but advocated for dialogue, despite some of his close associates taking to the bush.

Awan was sacked from his position after reports by the intelligence service accusing him of plotting to overthrow Kiir, particularly when Kiir accepted to sign the IGAD-brokered peace agreement in August 2015.

(ST)

December 31, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan's President Salva Kiir said on Sunday that ongoing civil war, now in its fifth year, continues to keep him involved the country's affairs against his will and the family.

President Salva Kiir addresses the nation at the South Sudan National Parliament in Juba, November 18, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Jok Solomon)

“There are people talking about me all the times and I am tired of all these nonsense. If it were not because of this senseless war, I would be resting already with my family”, said the South Sudan leader.

President Kiir's unusual statement was reportedly in response to the first lady's request for him to reconcile with the country's former army chief of staff, whom she described as a brother, not just a colleague.

“Kiir, [Paul Malong Awan] is your brother and if you know people who were with us. Malong is one of them. The government is big and like I heard John Garang once said, the government has so many rooms, why don't you accommodate Malong so that all these talks are stopped”, the first lady, Mary Ayen, reportedly told the president.

The first lady is also quoted to have requested the South Sudanese leader to lead the country well, citing the role he played during the liberation struggle.

Meanwhile sources within the presidential told Sudan Tribune that the ex-chief of staff has stepped up lobbying and the use of associates to rebel in order to draw Kiir's attention to his grievances.

“Paul Malong is using all strategies. He is using friends to rebel and talking to people to talk to the president. The family of the president, particularly his wife and his brother in law are the one championing his return to the government campaign”, a presidential aide said Sunday.

“Now someone called Manut Awek, or Manut Yel Lual and certain Kuol Athuai Hal have rebelled in Aweil. I understand he was one of the county commissioners when Malong was the governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Manut was the tax collector in Warawar. Now there has been this nonsense that Garang Chan and his group are around Juba and they will attack anytime. All are parts of the political propaganda to persuade the president to appoint Malong back into the government so that when he is appointed he will talk to them to return. These are outdated strategies”, he added.

However, the former army chief, while speaking at last week's thanksgiving prayer service held in Kampala, Uganda advocated for dialogue, despite some of his close associates taking to the bush.

(ST)

December 31, 2017 (JUBA) - At least 22 people were killed in inter-clan clashes that occurred in war-torn South Sudan, an official said.

The map of Jonglei state in red

The fighting, the latest in a series of attacks between rival communities, occurred in Bor South, which is located in Jonglei state.

The Bor South county commissioner, Deng Mabior, said about 18 people was also critically injured during the weekend's clash.

“The situation is currently under control of the army. The army is doing a good job by also talking to them about peace. But the challenge now is on the humanitarian aspect,” Mabior was quoted saying.

The clashes, he added, saw many people displaced from their homes.

Jonglei information minister, Deng Akech, also confirmed the incident and that the military was deployed in area to ease tension.

The regional government said it would investigate the conflict and arrest those found to have instigated the violence.

"What we are trying to do now is to make sure that the situation is contained,” Mabior said.

Rival pastoralists and farming communities in South Sudan have a long and bloody history of tit-for-tat attacks. The fighting has worsened amidst the disintegration of society during the four-year civil war, which began in December 2013.

(ST)