South Kordofan rebels reaffirm commitment to negotiation

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North faction under the leadership of Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu) in South Kordofan confirmed its steadfastness in negotiating with a Sudanese government that results from an agreement between the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) and the Transitional Military Council (TMC).

It welcomed the support of the Sudanese people for achieving a comprehensive and just peace by addressing the roots of the crisis and rebuilding the Sudanese state on new bases.

This confirmation came during a meeting of the delegation of the SPLM-N El Hilu in the South Sudan capital of Juba on Saturday, with a joint FFC-junta delegation led by TMC deputy head Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’.

“The meeting came in response to the invitation from the Government of South Sudan to meet the delegation of Khartoum in order to hear the joint delegation,” Ammar Daldoum, secretary-general of the movement said in a statement on Sunday.

Daldoum praised the efforts of the South Sudanese government and its efforts to bring peace to Sudan.

SPLM-N Agar

The military junta agreed with the SPLM-N Blue Nile faction of Malik Agar to release the movement’s prisoners and to cancel the death sentences against the leaders of the armed movements.

A statement issued by the TMC on Saturday evening said that the junta agreed with the movement on a number of issues, most notably amnesty for all political detainees, dropping death sentences against leaders of armed movements, and opening tracks and corridors to deliver humanitarian aid to those affected, as well as the renewal of the cessation of hostilities agreement.

The SPLM-N deputy faction head Yasir Arman, who arrived in Khartoum along with SPLM-N Agar secretary-general Ismail Khamis on May 26, was not subjected to any harassment on his arrival at Khartoum airport, in spite of a death penalty hanging over his head. He was condemned to death in absentia by the Al Bashir regime. The present military junta refused to cancel the sentence.

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