SPLM-N demands probe into Blue Nile bombing and displacement

The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North in Blue Nile state has condemned the aerial bombardments by the country's air force on Wed Abuk area on Friday, and urges an investigation into violent incidents in Bau locality in May. “The bombing has forced the displacements of the residents.”

Zayed Eisa Zayed, the Secretary-General of the Blue Nile section of the rebel group, called via Radio Dabanga on the humanitarian organisations to conduct an international and independent investigation into what he called “the Wed Abuk massacres”. The SPLM-N is the only one to have reported so far that there were many casualties among civilians during the bombardments on Friday. According to one of their spokesmen, twenty bombs were dropped.

Zayed also demanded a probe into the incidents at Megenza, Begeis, and Abu Gerin villages, in Bau locality, in the area of Engassana. On 10 May, Megenza was destroyed by fire, and all three villages were bombed and “emptied of their population”, according to the Fayda Organisation operating in Blue Nile, and the Arab Coalition for Sudan on 20 May. “The population has been displaced and fled to Roseiris,” Zayed said.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan ad interim, Geert Cappelaere, on 27 May expressed his deep concern about reports that large-scale displacement, including possible forced relocations, is taking place in Blue Nile state’s Bau locality, and possibly in other parts of the state.

A political analyst, Sidig Tawer, said to Radio Dabanaga that the citizens of the states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan are the ones who are paying the highest price of the war, suffering a lack of food and basic services. “They face death, or nothing,” Tawer stressed.