Three offshoot factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid El Nur (SLM-AW), merged into the newly formed Sudan Liberation Forces on Tuesday. El Taher Hajar, leader of the Liberation Movement for Justice (LMJ-TH), told Radio Dabanga that his movement, together with SLM-Unity, led by Abdallah Yahya, and the recently split-off SLM-Second Revolution (SLM-SR) under the command of Abulgasim Imam El Haj, today announced the formation of the Sudan Liberation Forces (SLF). Hajar explained that the purpose of the SLF is to “dismantle the ruling National Congress Party regime, and re-build the Sudanese state on the basis of a new social contract”. “The members of the Sudan Liberation Forces emphasise the importance of restoring the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in Darfur, alleviating the effects of the civil war and the genocide in Darfur by restoring security, and enabling the displaced and refugees to return to their areas of origin, after the expulsion of the new settlers.” Abulgasim Imam El Haj, head of SLM-SR, said that political motives led to the merger, “in order to redeem the Sudanese people from the Khartoum regime”. He stressed to Radio Dabanga that “the merger is a strategic move, not a tactical one”.News photo: The SLF leaders after the signing of the merger agreement Related: Sudan Liberation Movement-Second Revolution launched in Darfur (25 June 2014)