Saturday, February 12, 2011

Ban urges end to fighting between armed groups in Sudan

The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon today urged the People's Liberation Army (SPLA, for its acronym in English) and the forces of renegade General George Athor to end the fighting that has claimed the least a hundred lives in recent days in the southern African country. The UN spokesman, Martin Nesirky, conveyed in a statement Ban concern over the resumption of fighting between troops from the SPLA, the armed wing of the authorities in southern Sudan and the rebels loyal to Athor.

"The secretary urged the SPLA and the general Athor to immediately implement a cease fire and highlights the responsibility of the Government of Southern Sudan to protect civilians," he added Nesirky. The fighting that took place on Wednesday and Thursday in the Jonglei region ended a one-month truce between the two forces, which in the past had been part of a common front of armed groups in southern Sudan faced with the Government Khartoum.

The clashes have overshadowed celebrations partly in southern Sudan, next July will become an independent country after the 98 percent of voters who participated in the self-determination referendum last month supported the separation of the north. The referendum was the culmination of the peace agreements signed in Nairobi between north and south on 9 January 2005, which ended a 21-year civil war.

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