September 3, 2012 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese rebels dismissed reports published last week accusing them of attempting to smuggle weapons into the capital Khartoum.

Last Sunday the director of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) in White Nile State announced the capture of a truck full of arms belonging to the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition of rebel groups from Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

The NISS officials accused the alliance of rebel groups of planning to carry out attacks in the capital saying the SRF intended to destabilise the security situation in the country. They also alluded that the weapons were smuggled from South Sudan as White Nile State borders the South Sudanese state of Upper Nile.

“The Front denies what was stated (by the NISS) and confirms it was a lie, and a fabrication aiming to terrorise, threaten and disrupt peaceful activity of the uprising forces," said Abu Al Gassaim Al-Haj SRF spokesperson.

The rebel spokesperson further reaffirmed the peaceful character of recent protests organized in the country calling to overthrow the regime.

He further urged all the supporters of the rebel alliance to coordinate and participate in all the activities aiming to "topple" the regime "to build up citizenship state."

The Sudanese capital and different towns in the country witnessed in June and July a number of limited protests after the announcement of austerity measures on 16 June.

Despite the general anger against the regime, Sudanese did not take the street in massive numbers as it was the case in other Arab capitals.

The threats launched by the SRF rebels when they signed their charter in November 2011 were used by the security people to dissuade Khartoum residents from participating in the protests against the regime.

(ST)