Rebels refute SAF victory claims in South Kordofan

Colonel Sawarmi Khaled Saad, the military spokesman for the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), announced that 17 areas in South Kordofan have been recaptured from the rebels. Saad said in a statement issued on Friday that the Sudanese army “liberated” the areas of Abu Dumou, Kujuriya, El Waliyat, Shangil, Alkarko, Kega El Kheil, Kalinj, El Hujeir, Hibayil, Um Barka, Hijeer Sineina Elrukab, El Daeinat, Umbeer, Hijeer Yasin, and El Farsha. He also said that the SAF succeeded in recapturing the “fortified area of ​​Abu Hassan”, and seized large quantities of weapons and ammunition. Several Sudanese army troops were killed and wounded. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), however, strongly denied the SAF’s allegations, calling their claims “all lies”. “They are misleading the public opinion, covering the failure of announced large campaign to eliminate all rebel movements in the country,” Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, the spokesman for the SPLM-N told Radio Dabanga. Lodi asserted that the SPLM-N troops are “in complete control of these areas and villages”. “We have destroyed all the SAF battalions in the area, with their mercenaries and terrorists hired from outside Sudan.” He added that the SPLM-N troops “expelled the Sudanese army forces and its militias trying to occupy the village of Angarto on Friday from the area, and pursued them until Talodi. File photo: SPLM-N fighters