(AFP) Insurgents in Sudan’s South Kordofan state said on Sunday they have repulsed government soldiers who tried to seize two rebel-held villages near the state capital of Kadugli. Government forces tried on Friday to take Dloka village, 13 kilometres (eight miles) south of Kadugli, as well as a second community northeast of the government-controlled capital, said Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, spokesman for the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N). “They have tried many times to control these areas,” which, he told AFP, have been in SPLM-N hands since fighting began in June last year. Lodi said battles for the two villages left nine government troops and one rebel dead. Casualty claims are difficult to verify with access to South Kordofan restricted. Asked for comment, the army said it would issue a statement later. Both sides earlier agreed there had been fighting on Thursday at another location, Hajar Al-Dom village northeast of Kologi town, but disputed what had happened. South Sudan has agreed to an AU map of the demilitarised zone, but Khartoum has not. Its opposition has focused on the inclusion of a disputed area south of the Bahr el-Arab/Kiir River. Britain has backed AU and UN calls for Khartoum to accept the map, saying it has no bearing on the line of a permanent border.
Mediation Receives Report on Status of Sudan and South Sudan Citizens
(Sudan Vision) African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP), chaired by Thabo Mbeki, received the final report of the delegations of Sudan and South Sudan on the status of the citizens of the two countries. Mechanism statement stated that the two delegations completed their work in this regard, where the two delegations ensured on the agreement between the two sides signed last March, considering this step is a progress in the file of negotiations, confirming its commitment to all the agreements in a single package to be signed at the summit between the two Presidents at the end of the current round, which ends on September 22, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2046.
UNAMID National Staff to Resume Strike
(Radio Dabanga) On Monday September 10, UNAMID national staff is expected to resume their strike, which they started on Wednesday September 5. UNAMID’s national staff held a peaceful strike on Wednesday concerning the result of a salary survey conducted in March 2012. Following the results, a salaray increase was granted. The national staff considers the increase to be insufficient and demands to be paid either in US dollars or a recalculation of the increase, according to the June 2012 exchange rate. Aichatou Mindaoudou, acting Joint Special Representative, said during a town-hall meeting on Wednesday September 5 in El-Fasher: “I understand your concerns and I am committed to work hard with the UN Headquarters to look into these issues”. National staff from across Darfur participated in the meeting via video conference. UNAMID’s national staff makes up a number of approximately 2.900 of the Mission’s civilian component.
Sudan: UNHCR Vehicles Looted
(Radio Dabanga) An armed group looted two vehicles from UNHCR headquarters in El-Geneina on Friday morning September 7. An eye-witness told Radio Dabanga the armed group, believed to be pro-government, attacked the UNHCR headquarters early Friday morning. The armed group attacked three guards at the headquarters, tied their hands with ropes and guarded them. Then they seized two new Land Cruiser vehicles, from inside the yard, forced the guards to climb into the vehicles and fled. The guards were released outside of El-Geneina. The witness said that attacks on vehicle-owners has become a widespread phenomenon, despite the presence of the Sudanese army and police at the main gates and entrances of El-Geneina.