Three Darfur rebel groups form ‘Sudan Liberation Forces’

Three rebel groups in Darfur have merged under the name of the Sudan Liberation Forces Alliance. They say they are not bound by any ceasefire.
In a statement on Friday, the SLFA announced that the Sudan Liberation Movement for Justice, the Sudan Liberation Movement-Unity, and the Justice and Equality Movement led by Abdallah Bishir Jali decided to form one movement in a conference in “the liberated areas” between 29 June and 2 July.

Three rebel groups in Darfur have merged under the name of the Sudan Liberation Forces. They say they are not bound by any ceasefire.

In a statement on Friday, the SLFA announced that the Sudan Liberation Movement for Justice, the Sudan Liberation Movement-Unity, and the Justice and Equality Movement faction led by Abdallah Jaali decided in a conference in “liberated areas” in Darfur between 29 June and 2 July to merge.

El Taher Hajar was elected chairman and Abdallah Yahya deputy chairman of the new alliance. Jaali was appointed general commander.

The new alliance says they will continue the armed struggle against the Sudanese government as they are not committed to any ceasefire.

They called on the Sudanese Liberation Movement led by Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW), the SLM breakaway faction led by Minni Minawi (SLM-MM), and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) headed by Jibril Ibrahim to seek unity as well.

The SLM-MM and JEM welcomed the step. “It is our firm conviction that the divisions among the resistance forces were one of the major reasons that hampered the achievement of the revolution objectives,” JEM said in a statement.