August 11, 2012 (KHARTOUM) — Former rebel Liberation and Equality Movement (LJM) said ready to resume the implementation of security arrangements after an initial disagreement with the Sudanese army over the verification of its combatants.

LJM and Sudanese army disagreed after a verification conducted between 5 to 9 March 2012 over the number of the fighters who can be involved in the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process. The former rebels rejected the sharp criteria of selection used by the military.

The rebels also blamed the Sudanese army of ignoring additional positions where their combatants are not included in the process.

But a high follow-up committee chaired by President Omer Al-Bashir agreed to take into account the demands of the former rebel group who signed an agreement with the government in July 2012.

Ahmed Fadel, a state minister for the cabinet affairs ministry and LJM spokesperson stated in Khartoum on Saturday that his group completed the preparations to resume the verification and identification of combatants, a process which should take place next September.

He further added that the gathering of combatants will start immediately after the end of the first step, in order to close this file as it is agreed by all the parties as soon as possible.

Sudanese army says the process of disarmament and disbandment of the former rebel group and other militia groups in Darfur will be implemented in a 220-day period.

(ST)