SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan’s General Intelligence Service bans top civilian politicians from international travel

13/10/2021: Multiple sources – Sudan’s General Intelligence Service bans top civilian politicians from international travel

·      Radio Dabanga

·      Reuters

·      Sudan Tribune

 

The crisis between the military and civilian components of Sudan’s transitional government escalated after reports that the General Intelligence Service (GIS) issued a travel ban for 11 leading civilian members of the Empowerment Removal Committee (ERC)*, including a member of the Sovereignty Council and a Minister.

 

Sources reported that the ban issued by the GIS includes member of the Sovereignty Council Mohamed al-Faki and Minister of Cabinet Affairs Khaled Omar, who have recently been vocally critical of military threats to the democratic transition.

 

The GIS denied the travel ban on state officials. Reuters’ senior military source also denied the military’s involvement, and said the ban was illegal as it originated from the GIS rather than the public prosecutor's office.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: AP - Sudanese rebel groups seek peace after years of fighting

13/10/19: AP - Sudanese rebel groups seek peace after years of fighting, by Samy Magdy

 AP profiles Sudan’s rebel groups.

 The Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), led by Yassir Arman

·      An alliance of rebel groups including the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army faction led by Minni Minawi.

·      Wants a role transitional government

·      Wants its fighters included in Sudan’s military, “something the Sudanese generals are unlikely to accept.”

 Sudan Liberation Movement-North, Abdel-Aziz Al-Hilu faction

·      Not a part of the SRF

·      Largest rebel group in Sudan - controls large chunks of South Kordofan and the Blue Nile.

·      Abdel-Aziz Al-Hilu refuses to hold talks with the military council or the pro-democracy movement.

·      Al-Hilu threatens an independence movement unless Sudan becomes a secular state, al-Bashir’s militias are disbanded and the military is revamped.

 The Sudan Liberation Movemen, Abdelwahid al-Nur faction

·      SLM-AW reject the transitional government, and the peace talks.

 Challenges

·      The rebels lack a common political ideology, contrasting the Islamic-leaning JEM to the secular SLM-N.