SLM dissidents join Sudan’s National Dialogue

The dissidents of the rebel SLM-AW who recently signed a peace agreement for western Jebel Marra have also put their signature on the National Dialogue document in Khartoum.

Abu Jamal Khalil Bakr and Mid El Amin Abdeljabbar El Tahir, known as Toro, signed the document on behalf of the dissident group in the presence of Central Darfur State Governor Jaafar Abdelhakam, at the secretariat of the dialogue in Khartoum on Monday.

The rebel defectors, including former SLM-AW spokesman Shihabeldin Ahmed Hagar, have called the faction the Sudan Liberation Movement-General Command. Hashim Salim, the Secretary-General of the Dialogue, has welcomed the signing of the dissident movement.

President Omar Al Bashir proposed the broad National Dialogue in early 2014 to gather all political forces in Sudan, including the rebel movements, with the aim to peacefully solve the various crises in the country.

Spokesman Hagar confirmed to the press the General Command's commitment to achieving peace in Darfur, especially in the Jebel Marra area. He said they are committed to work on the implementation of the Korona peace agreement which they signed with the Central Darfur government.

According to State Governor Ishag, all procedures and guarantees for the implementation of the peace agreement have been completed. A technical team went to Zalingei to assess the implementation of the security arrangements of the peace deal.

Korona lies in western Jebel Marra. Jebel Marra has been a stronghold of the armed movement of rebel leader Abdelwahid El Nur and was the scene of the heavy military offensive against the rebels in early 2016 and preceding years.