S Sudan hits back at Bashir over remarks

JUBA: South Sudan said yesterday it is not supporting any rebel group in Sudan’s Darfur region following the latest round of accusations by President Omar Bashir. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mawien Makol said the neighbours have a security mechanism set up in 2014 to verify allegations of rebel support on both sides, which they should use rather than seeking to cast blame through the media.

“That is not true. It is not the first time Khartoum has accused us. We have said we don’t have interest to support rebels. They should not look at us as the problem.”

Al Bashir accused South Sudan and Egypt of supporting the rebels in the western region of the country. He said rebels in recent clashes with Sudanese Armed Forces had crossed into Darfur from South Sudan and Libya. Xinhua