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Sudan Tribune

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Minnawi sacks 4 rebel commanders over alleged links to Khartoum

October 14, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Minni Minnawi, the leader of a faction of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM), has relieved four commanders, accusing them of treason after reports of a new dissident group blessed by Khartoum emerged.

Minni Minnawi (file/ AFP)
Minni Minnawi (file/ AFP)
On 7 October, a group of dissident commanders issued a statement signed by 26 military accusing Minnawi of nepotism, corruption and illegal detention of some leading members.

When contacted by Sudan Tribune on Sunday, the spokesperson of the splinter faction, Adam Saleh Abakr, stressed they are only demanding reforms and transparency, adding they will take further steps if Minnawi refuses to respond to their claims.

However, in a decision extended to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday, Minnawi relieved four commanders of this faction, including Abakr, after accusing them of “high treason, communicating with the enemy and violating the SLM-MM statue and laws”.

The SLM-MM leadership council warned the relieved commanders against attempting to carry out “any act of sabotage to undermine the gains of the Movement in cooperation and coordination with the intelligence of the enemy” said the decision which is inked by Minnawi .

He further ordered those who are cuurently with the sacked commanders to “immediately return to the ranks of the Movement and report to the nearest military outpost belonging to the group”.

Rebel sources allege that the new split in Minnaw’s group is instigated by the Chadian president Idris Deby. The latter has declared his commitment to support Khartoum’s efforts to end Darfur conflict in line with Um Jaras conference of 30 March 2014.

In 2012 he encouraged a faction of the Justice and Equality Movement led by Mohamed Bashar to break away and sign a peace agreement with the Sudanese government.

The SLM, which during the first two year of the conflict was the largest rebel movement in Darfur, is now divided into several groups after the first dissidence of Haskanita conference in May 2005.

Minnawi signed the Darfur Peace Agreement with the Sudanese government on 6 May 2006, but rebelled again in 2010 after accusing Khartoum of not implementing the Abuja deal.

(ST)

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