‘Sudan expects full-blown fight’

Nairobi – The combination of a crisis in Sudan’s unity government and fresh violence in Darfur is threatening to trigger a full-blown conflict in the oil-rich region of Kordofan, say observers.

They said that Kordofan, which had increasingly seen the Darfur conflict spill over its borders, could be Sudan’s next frontline. Late last month, suspected Darfur rebel groups killed 10 African Union peacekeepers in Haskanita, which lies on the border with Kordofan.Rebels also launched a deadly raid against police inside Kordofan in August.Last week, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement suspended its participation in the country’s unity government, the most serious snag yet in the peace deal signed by Khartoum and the former southern rebels in January 2005.The Sudanese government accused some rebels of seeking to take the Darfur conflict to Kordofan, while rebel groups alleged Khartoum was building up its military forces in the area.Sharif Harir, an Asmara-based rebel leader, said: “The conflict is spreading because the Sudanese government is using Kordofan as a base to build up troops.”Harir’s Sudan Liberation Army-Unity faction and the Justice and Equality Movement had been blamed for the latest attacks in the area.Harir said: “If you believe in active self-defence, then you will go after them and not allow them to build up”, arguing that Khartoum was seeking to circumvent threatened no-fly zones.He also added that Kordofan was already rife with discontent towards Khartoum, with an increasing number of groups claiming grievances very similar to those that led to the eruption of the Darfur rebellion in early 2003 According to one of the key architects of the 2005 north-south peace deal, elements on both sides ‘are moving the war to Kordofan to dodge attempts to bring peace in Darfur’.Nampa-AFPLate last month, suspected Darfur rebel groups killed 10 African Union peacekeepers in Haskanita, which lies on the border with Kordofan.Rebels also launched a deadly raid against police inside Kordofan in August.Last week, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement suspended its participation in the country’s unity government, the most serious snag yet in the peace deal signed by Khartoum and the former southern rebels in January 2005.The Sudanese government accused some rebels of seeking to take the Darfur conflict to Kordofan, while rebel groups alleged Khartoum was building up its military forces in the area.Sharif Harir, an Asmara-based rebel leader, said: “The conflict is spreading because the Sudanese government is using Kordofan as a base to build up troops.”Harir’s Sudan Liberation Army-Unity faction and the Justice and Equality Movement had been blamed for the latest attacks in the area.Harir said: “If you believe in active self-defence, then you will go after them and not allow them to build up”, arguing that Khartoum was seeking to circumvent threatened no-fly zones.He also added that Kordofan was already rife with discontent towards Khartoum, with an increasing number of groups claiming grievances very similar to those that led to the eruption of the Darfur rebellion in early 2003 According to one of the key architects of the 2005 north-south peace deal, elements on both sides ‘are moving the war to Kordofan to dodge attempts to bring peace in Darfur’.Nampa-AFP