SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources - FFC-DB travel to Cairo to discuss Sudan’s political crisis

1/2/2023: Multiple sources - FFC-DB travel to Cairo to discuss Sudan’s political crisis

• Sudan Tribune

•   Radio Dabanga

A delegation of 70 leaders of the Forces for Freedom and Change-Democratic Block (FFC-DB) went to Cairo to participate in a workshop organised by the Egyptian government on the political situation in Sudan.

Leading FFC-DB member Mubarak Ardol said the delegation includes the head of the FFC-DB and a factional leader of the Democratic Unionist Party Jaafar al-Mirghani, alongside his FFC-DB colleagues such as: finance minister and Justice and Equality Movement leader Jibril Ibrahim and Sudan Liberation Movement factional leader Minni Minnawi.

They are also joined by a factional leader of the National Umma Party (NUP) – Mubarak al-Fadil al-Mahdi.

The agenda of the meeting was not released, but all participants are opposed to the framework agreement.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan Tribune - SLM Abdel-Wahid group clashes with Sudanese forces in eastern Jebel Marra

1/2/2021: Sudan Tribune - SLM Abdel-Wahid group clashes with Sudanese forces in eastern Jebel Marra

 Sudan Tribune report that the holdout rebel Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW) clashed with the transitional government forces in eastern Jebel Marra.

 SLM-AW military spokesman Walid Mohamed Abaker “Tongo”  said they repelled  an attack by a "government militia" on their positions, adding that their fighters killed 17 government troops and wounded 23 others, as well as capturing  seven machine guns and three RPG-7.

The SLM-AW is the only group that refuses to hold peace talks with the transitional government. The group rejected the Juba Peace Agreement and accused the armed groups who signed it of seeking government jobs. 

"The movement could reconsider the unilateral cessation of hostilities, to which we have been committed despite the repeated aggression on the areas under our control," Tongo stressed.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Radio Dabanga - Holdout rebel movement ‘repels attack by gunmen' in North Darfur

1/2/2021: Radio Dabanga - Holdout rebel movement ‘repels attack by gunmen' in North Darfur

 Radio Dabanga report that the Sudan Liberation Movement under the leadership of Abdelwahid al-Nur (SLM- AW), claims that it has killed 17 gunmen and wounded a further 23 while repelling an attack in Touha Shalal, Tawila locality, North Darfur.

Walid Mohamed, a SLM-AW military spokesperson, said in a statement that the attack was launched by “government affiliated groups”. The statement stressed that “the repeated attacks” may push the SLM-AW to reconsider its decision to stop “hostilities” from its side, which it has been abiding by “despite repeated acts of aggression against SLM-AW in areas it controls”.

SLM-AW did not sign the Juba Peace Agreement

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan Tribune - U.S. bans Sudanese from participating in visa lottery programme

1/2/2020: Sudan Tribune - U.S. bans Sudanese from participating in visa lottery programme

Sudan Tribune reports that the US President Donald Trump administration has banned Sudanese citizens from participating in the US visa lottery programme, as the Sudanese government has failed to meet US security standards.

"Sudan generally does not comply with our identity-management performance metrics and presents a high risk, relative to other countries in the world, of terrorist travel to the United States," said a new executive order issued by the White House.

The Order said that the ongoing transition to civilian rule in Sudan should improve opportunities for cooperation in the future, and noted Sudanese progress in addressing deficiencies in areas such as the issuance of electronic passports and improved coordination with Interpol.

"Sudan has also shared exemplars of its passports with the United States and now permanently invalidates lost and stolen passports and fraudulently obtained travel documents,” the Order added.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan Tribune - SPLM-N’s Agar reiterates rejection of self-determination for Sudan’s Two Areas

1/2/2020: Sudan Tribune - SPLM-N’s Agar reiterates rejection of self-determination for Sudan’s Two Areas  

Sudan Tribune reports that Malik Agar, a factional leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), rejects calls for self-determination in South Kordofan and the Blue State.

Peace talks between the the transitional government and the SPLM-N faction led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu are stalled over the latter’s calls for include self-determination unless Sudan becomes a secular state. SPLM-N al-Hilu split from SPLM-N Agar in 2017 due to the latter’s rejection of the former’s stance.

In a speech, Malik Agar questioned why the people of South Kordofan and the Blue Nile alone should pay this exorbitant bill”  regarding the fight for secularism in Sudan.

While conceding that the demands for secularism and self-determination are “legitimate,” Agar added that priorities should be placed upon creating a conducive environment for nationwide negotiations of a secular state - including ending the war, achieving peace, returning the displaced and refugees to their villages.