‘Rebels plan to advance on Khartoum from two sides’: Sudan government

The top aide to Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir has described what his government believes to be the battle plans for forces of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) to advance on Khartoum. Speaking to the Legislative Council of Khartoum State on Thursday, Nafie Ali Nafie said that the “Plan B” announced by the SRF to enter Khartoum and overthrow the regime, will first involve occupying three cities, namely Kadugli in South Kordofan; El Fasher in North Darfur; and El Obeid in North Kordofan. “We must realise the number and strength of the SRF troops, so we will need combat troops rather than patrol troops in El Fasher and Nyala. The cities must be secured by combat troops, especially in South Darfur.” Nafie does not believe that El Fasher will be occupied “because there are no SRF troops there”. “The SRF is determined and has a strong will to overthrow the regime and occupy Khartoum,” he stressed, describing the forthcoming battle as “a final and decisive one”. He called on everyone to mobilise and provide the government with continued support. Also he also said that Sudan needs “qualified troops” for the fighting. “Either people are with us or against us, there is no middle way,” said Nafie. “The SRF is currently gathering its troops in Abu Karshola, South Kordofan.” He outlined the plan of the SRF to advance on Khartoum via two axes, but cautioned that “the army is monitoring the movements of the SRF”. Reacting to Nafie’s statement, the chairman of the SLM and vice president of the SRF, Abdel Wahid Al Nur, said their “Plan B” is on-going, confirming that the final aim of the plan is indeed to enter Khartoum. However, Al Nur described Nafie’s words as fearful and panicked: “You see the fear of death and of the occupation of Khartoum in his eyes.” In words intended for Al Bashir, Nafie and their supporters, Al Nur said that “the SRF does not fight and manage its operations via the media, but by deeds and with actions carried out by SRF Chief of Staff Abdul Aziz Al Hilu, and his colleagues on the ground.” Al Nur: “Plan B will be more successful than Plan A, and Khartoum is the ultimate objective of the SRF to topple the regime. We will convince Nafie by military operations on the ground.” Al Nur intimated that “the coming days will be full of surprises”. He ridiculed Nafie’s opinion that SRF has no troops in Darfur. “We have troops everywhere in Sudan, so Nafie’s comments are therefore not true” adding: “Nafie, and Al Bashir, we are coming to Khartoum”. Al Nur appealed via Radio Dabanga to troops of the Sudan Armed Forces to join with the SRF in overthrowing the regime, rather than to support it. File photos: Nafie Ali Nafie (left) and Abdel Wahid Al Nur Related: Sudan rebels implement ‘Plan B’ following ‘tactical withdrawal’ from Abu Karshola (29 May 2013)