South Sudan vows 'proportional' response if Khartoum continues attacks - Sudan Tribune

June 2, 2012 (JUBA) - South Sudan said on Saturday it will respond proportionally in self-defence to any attacks against its “territorial integrity” should the government of neighbouring Sudan maintain is “continued aggression”.

UN troops in Abyei (AFP)

“We will continue to defend our territory. We will not cross even an inch into Sudanese territory but we will not accept Sudan invading our territories to kill our people and destroy their properties. We have a constitutional mandate to protect them,” Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister of Information and Media Affairs, said on Saturday.

Marial made the remarks in a statement calling on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to “impose sanctions” on Sudan and saying Juba country would respond “proportionally” to any attack by Sudan Armed Forces (SAF). Marial asked why the international community is not more vocal in its condemnation of Khartoum’s actions.

The UNSC ordered both sides to immediately cease hostilities, pull back troops inside their borders and resume negotiations with the aim of reaching a deal within three months. It threatened both sides with sanctions in the event non-compliance.

Marial claimed that Khartoum continues to bomb areas within South Sudan’s territory, in flagrant violation of the UNSC resolution and African Union roadmap.

The governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal added in a separate statement on South Sudan Television on Friday that SAF have been bombing the area and had staged ground attacks, despite the fact that the two parties are engaged in negotiations.

Governor Paul Malong Awan claimed that the South Sudan army (SPLA) had repulsed SAF attacks and that much of the civil population of Mereim have been displaced by the conflict.

Awan explained that incursions by SAF in areas including Warguet, Majak Woi and Majak Bai have been successfully repulsed by the SPLA and that security situation in the area has now returned to normal.

SPLA spokesman, Colonel Phillip Aguer Panyang, also accused SAF of carrying out attacks in the states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Unity and Upper Nile, violating the spirit of peace and regional security.

“They are using air and ground attacks but our forces have been able to defeat and even capture some of their vehicles,” said Aguer.

He claimed that SPLA forces have killed 64 SAF fighters and captured heavy artillery in an attack on May 30.

With regards to Khartoum’s claim that it has withdrawn its troops from the contested Abyei region, Aguer claimed that “the information we have is that SAF battalions dressed as police remains in Abyei,” under the leadership of Major General Adam Mohammed.

On Friday Khartoum announced that it would also be withdrawing its police forces from Abyei.

He also claimed that the non-withdrwal of SAF from Abyei is an open secret; “Just read what they said in Arabic newspapers in Khartoum.” He described Khartoum’s claims as an attempt to “draw the attention of the international community” and that the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei currently posted there should “tell the world the truth” about SAF activity in Abyei.

(ST)