Juba Opens Fire on the Sudanese Army and Its Islamist Militias… Details

27th January 2025

2 minutes read

Juba Opens Fire on the Sudanese Army and Its Islamist Militias... Details

Juba has accused the Sudanese army and its Islamist allies of committing violations against South Sudanese citizens in Al-Jazirah State, central Sudan.

Reports suggest that among the civilians subjected to torture and killings were some from South Sudan, sparking widespread outrage both among the public and officials in the neighboring state.

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Juba summoned Sudanese ambassador Issam Karrar and called on the United Nations and the African Union to intervene regarding violations by the Sudanese army and its allied forces (the Muslim Brotherhood) against its citizens in Al-Jazirah State, according to Al-Rakoba newspaper.

Instead of de-escalating the situation, the government in Port Sudan, loyal to the Sudanese army, adopted a provocative stance, accusing South Sudan of inciting the United Nations and the African Union to intervene in Sudan, calling this move unjustified and unacceptable.

In a statement, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that South Sudan’s positions come at a time when Juba and other areas in South Sudan have witnessed retaliatory campaigns against Sudanese nationals, including killings, assaults, and looting. These attacks, allegedly orchestrated and encouraged by South Sudanese officials, also targeted the Sudanese embassy and its staff, violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and international norms.

The statement noted that the Sudanese government had shown great patience towards South Sudan’s transgressions to maintain the historical ties between the two peoples. However, it highlighted that the involvement of South Sudanese mercenaries with the Rapid Support Forces is well-documented and confirmed.

The ministry added that these details were shared with the government in Juba, which failed to take action to stop the recruitment of mercenaries or their deployment to fight against Sudan. Worse still, South Sudan provided several facilities to the Rapid Support Forces, including transporting their members for medical treatment in South Sudanese hospitals.

The statement also pointed to what it termed as “serious violations” by South Sudan in the Abyei region, where clear breaches of the agreement were observed. These violations were reported by the UN mission UNISFA in its briefings to the Secretary-General.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Port Sudan stated that it would take appropriate measures to respond to the violations by South Sudan through regional and international platforms. It emphasized that it would not hesitate to adopt measures to ensure the protection of Sudan’s rights and its citizens under international law and treaties.

Sudan, South Sudan’s neighboring country, has been embroiled in a bloody war since April 2023 between the army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, headed by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (Hemetti). The war has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced more than 12 million people. South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, hosts a large number of Sudanese residents and refugees, further complicating the security situation in the country.