By Robert Cusack
General Khalifa Haftar’s support of Janjaweed mercenaries is causing a return to violence in the Darfur region, the Sudanese media minister said on Sunday.
A fresh outbreaking of fighting in both Sudan and Libya can be blamed on the east Libyan strongman rebel, General Khalifa Haftar, a Sudanese minister claimed on Sunday.
Haftar’s decision to employ Janjaweed militants in his army to fight Islamists in the country’s east, has led him to also support their armed cause in the south of Sudan.
“Haftar is involving Sudanese Darfur rebel groups and mercenaries in conflicts in southern Libya and thus is continuing the same policy that was used by Muammar Gaddafi,” said Sudan’s media minister, Ahmed Bilal Othman.
Haftar allegedly rewards those who fight for him by providing a secure base from which to launch their attacks in the Darfur region, reports suggest.
Khartoum alleges the Janjaweed fighters are located 50km west of the city of Derna and are currently fighting the Mujahedeen Shura Council as mercenaries.
The Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, recently claimed that his forces had intercepted a convoy of tanks and fighters that had travelled from Libya to Darfur.
There has been a civil war between the Sudanese government and a number of rebel groups in Darfur that has continued since 2003.
Fighting has flared up in the region, despite an African Union-sponsored ceasefire agreement, with Janjaweed fighters battling against the Sudanese army.
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Following in the footsteps of Gaddafi, Haftar continues to support Darfur rebel groups – Sudanese official
By AbdulkaderAssad
“Those mercenaries are sent to die by Haftar. He doesn’t care about them; he uses them to fuel the war.” Sudanese Minister said.
Sudanese government has renewed its call for putting an end to the support and safe haven provided to the Sudanese rebel groups by eastern military man Khalifa Haftar.
The Sudanese Media Minister and spokesman of the government, Ahmed Bilal Othman, told the Sudanese Center for Press Services that the support of Haftar and his eastern Libyan forces for the Sudanese rebel groups from Darfur is a reward for rebels that allows them to work more on destabilizing the region.
“Haftar is involving Sudanese Darfur rebel groups and mercenaries in conflicts in southern Libya and thus is continuing the same policy that was used by Moamar Gaddafi.” Othman added.
Such a support from Haftar to Sudanese rebel groups could destabilize Sudan as well as Libya, the Media Minister indicated.
“Those mercenaries are sent to die by Haftar. He doesn’t care about them; he uses them to fuel the war.” He explained.
The minister added that Sudan can definitely defend its borders and can fight any enemies trying to destabilize the country.
“We are not going to urge Haftar to stop this violation and use of mercenaries because he is not able and not entitled to achieve stability in his country, rather, we call on Sudanese nationals who are engaged in Haftar’s war to detach themselves from the conflict that is aimed at gaining profits for certain individuals.” Othman further explained.
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Sudanese rebel group acknowledges fighting for Khalifa Haftar’s forces in Libya
Sudan’s Justice and Equality Movement is fighting alongside Khalifa Haftar’s Dignity Operation, a senior commander from the rebel group has officially admitted.
Brigadier Ibrahim Al-Bagdadi, chief of armament in the Justice and Equality Movement told Sudan’s Blue Nile TV that their forces are now fighting for Khalifa Haftar after months of fighting for former Gaddafi brigades during the 2011 uprising.
“We took part in several clashes in 2011 and we had lost many fighters,” he said.
Al-Bagdadi revealed that their commander Tahir Arja is now in Libya leading armed groups alongside Haftar’s forces at the request of Mahmoud Jibreel, Chairman of National Forces Alliance.
“It’s business,” he said.
Last month, Dignity Operation militias occupied Brega, Zuwetina, Sidra and Ras Lanouf oil terminals in central Libya with the help of Sudanese and Chadian mercenaries.
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Sudan warns Haftar against supporting Darfur rebel groups
Sudan has called on Libyan leader, Khalifa Haftar, to stop supporting and providing a safe haven for Darfur rebel groups, the Libyan Observer reported.
Captured Darfur Rebels from SLM-MM on 21 May 2017
Speaking publically in Khartoum for the first time about the involvement of Haftar in the Darfur conflict, Ahmed Bilal Othman, Sudanese official spokesperson and minister of information, accused the Libyan eastern forces led by Haftar of attempting to destabilise Sudan and the region.
“Haftar is involving Sudanese Darfur rebel groups and mercenaries in conflicts in southern Libya and thus is continuing the same policy that was used by Muammar Gaddafi,” Osman explained.
Read: Sudan’s Al-Mahdi calls for a government able to work on ICC ‘genocide’ ruling
He said that Sudan was perfectly capable of defending its borders but called on Sudanese nationals to withdraw from Libya, “We are not going to urge Haftar to stop this violation and use of mercenaries because he is not able to achieve stability in his own country, rather, we call on Sudanese nationals who are engaged in Haftar’s war to detach themselves from the conflict.”
The minister referred to the admission, in October 2016, by a senior commander of Sudan’s Justice and Equality Movement rebel movement that they were fighting alongside Haftar’s Dignity Operation. Chief of Armament, Ibrahim Al-Baghdadi, told media outlets his group fought for the former Gaddafi brigades during the 2011 uprising and were now fighting alongside Haftar’s forces in eastern Libya.
Haftar allegedly rewards those who fight for him by providing a secure base from which to launch their attacks in the Darfur region, reports suggest.
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