SAF increase presence in Darfur and border counties

Sudanese Armed Forces aim to threaten rebel activities in Darfur with reinforcements

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) warned all the armed Darfur rebel forces who would dare to break the region’s established security measures. SAF spokesperson, Col. Sawarmi Khalid, announced that the gathering of any rebel fronts, whether the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Abdul Wahid or Minawi’s movements or any ally of theirs, would immediately become the target of the SAF. El-Sawarmi also announced the intensification of SAF troops across all sectors of Darfur’s three states, in addition to an increase of checkpoints and the doubling of the number of forces along the South Sudan border and border counties. El-Sawarmi added that what he refers to as ‘rebel factions’ were now limited to small areas around Wadi Hor (North Darfur), with no presence within large cities and counties. Elsawarmi also stated that the SAF would not allow the return of rebel activities in Darfur.

The rebel forces, however, mocked the SAF’s decision to reinforce their troops, saying the battle against the Sudanese Government was taking place in Khartoum, not Darfur. Jibril Bilal, a member of the revolutionary front and the official spokesperson of the JEM, told Radio Dabanga that the aim of the front was to topple the regime in Khartoum using all means necessary, and not only in Darfur. He added that it was this perspective that was worrying the SAF and causing panic among its troops.