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Seminars

Arab states concerned as rebels advance in Sudan

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Wednesday, June 16, 2001

CAIRO Ñ Arab states are concerned over the deteriorating military situation in Sudan as Khartoum has resumed air strikes to halt a rebel drive in the oil-rich south.

The issue has been promoted by such North African states as Egypt and Libya. Both countries are said to be aiding the regime of President Omar Bashir battle the Sudanese People's Liberation Army.

In a meeting in Tripoli on late Monday, the Arab League expressed support for Sudan and pledged to help Khartoum confront the latest rebel threat. A statement by the league cited the SPLA drive in the Bahr Ghazal province.

Bashir has improved his relations with the Arab world over the last two years. Sudan has launched what Arab diplomatic sources termed is defense cooperation with its northern neighbor Egypt.

The SPLA has rejected Khartoum's call for a ceasefire. But U.S. and Western officials said the regime violated its own ceasefire by air attacks on civilian population centers in the south last week.

Much of the current fighting between the SPLA and Sudanese troops has taken place in the oil-rich area of the south. Four foreign companies, two of them Western, are developing Sudan's oil reserves.

Arab League secretary-general Amr Mussa will continue discussions on the situation in Sudan in other forums of the organization, the statement said. For their part, Sudanese officials said Khartoum is considering launching another air campaign against the SPLA in the south. The officials said the air strikes would mark the end of the May 25 ceasefire declared by Khartoum.

"The government will make only limited use of air strikes against specific targets in the fighting zones, far from populated regions," a government statement said.

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