New call to withdraw Sudanese troops from Yemen

The Reform Now Movement has renewed its demand for the immediate withdrawal of Sudanese forces from Yemen, describing their stay there as unjustified and contrary to the Constitution. The government has confirmed its ongoing participation in the war.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Hasan Osman Rizig, Member of Parliament and deputy head of the Reform Now Movement criticised President Al Bashir's statement which justified the stay of the Sudanese forces in Yemen for “defending legitimacy”.

He said “it is not our duty to defend legitimacy in Yemen or other countries as that this is the duty of the Yemeni people”.

He described the decision of the participation of the Sudanese forces in Yemen as violation of the Constitution for not being presented to the National Assembly, pointing out that the Constitution requires the approval of Parliament in the event of participation in any war.

Rizig criticised the war in Yemen as “not under any legal cover, such as the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation or the League of Arab States.”

He wondered whether it is jihad to uphold the word of God? He said that “it is not the duty of Sudan to fight Shiite thought. “Thought is to be countered with thought, rather than with weapons.”

Rizig warned against the consequences of the use of sophisticated weapons in the conflict in Yemen, pointing out that “the Sudanese defence systems cannot resist any ballistic missile attack”.

He lamented that the “it is impossible for any party to resolve the conflict in Yemen for its rough terrain… The Sudanese forces are constantly losing blood.”

He said that Sudan is not the only Islamic country to address the defence of the two holy mosques: “The defence of the two holy mosques can only be within the framework of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The defence of the two holy places cannot be held in Yemen but on the outskirts of Mecca and Medina.”

He highlighted international human rights organisations’ condemnation of bombing civilians and killing children, saying that “Sudan's participation in the war makes it subject to accusations.”

Continued participation

The government in the meantime has confirmed its continued participation in the war in Yemen, while maintaining silence, about the killing and wounding of dozens of Sudanese troops in the ongoing battles.

Last week, three senior Sudanese officers and dozens of soldiers were killed during a battle in northern Yemen. Approximately 100 Sudanese soldiers were wounded in the fighting that broke out in Medi desert.

Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour, confirmed after meeting with ambassadors of the Arab coalition countries in Yemen (Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt), continued participation in the coalition forces and support of the efforts to restore stability in Yemen.

The ambassadors conveyed their condolences to the families of the fallen, and their wishes for healing the wounded of the recent operations in Yemen.

State Minister of Defence Ali Salim told MPs in a closed session during which he presented his Ministry's statement on the country's security situation in Parliament that “This is not the first time for the Sudanese forces to participate in a war outside the country. He justified that participation as natural.