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Sudan Tribune

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Sudan withdraws police force out of Abyei

June 1, 2012 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan announced Friday the withdrawal of 169 police officers from Abyei as the UN Security Council reiterated the need to pull out all the Sudanese police forces present in the disputed area.

“Members of Council emphasized that that the full withdrawal must include police forces, including oil forces”, Agshin Mehdiyev, chairman of the UN Security Council for May and Ambassador of Azerbaijan told reporters after a four-and-half-hour meeting held on 31 May.

Al-Sawarmi Khaled, spokesperson of Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), released Friday a short statement announcing that the 169 police force have withdrawn from Abyei, in compliance with the UN Security Council 2046 demanding the withdrawal of Sudan and South Sudan troops out of Abyei.

Al-Sawarmi today announced “the redeployment of remaining police force, composed of 169 people, outside the administrative border of Abyei was complemented this afternoon,” Sudan’s official news agency (SUNA) reported.

Juba accused Khartoum two days ago of violating the UN resolution 2046 saying Sudanese forces dressed in police uniforms have simply redeployed to different areas including oil fields and Abyei town.

The South Sudanese government further lodged a complaint to the UN Security Council, which was briefed Thursday evening on the situation on the border between Sudan and South Sudan by UN Under-Secretary-General Ladsous and UN special envoy to the two countries Haile Menkerios.

Juba, in its complaint, besides the issue of Abyei force, also cited over 100 attacks carried out on Unity, Upper Nile, Jonglei, Western Bahr el Ghazal and Northern Bahr el Ghazal since November 2011.

US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, following Thursday’s meeting told reporters that the police force in Abyei would be withdrawn “tomorrow” but stressed that Sudan has no intention to move its oil police for the moment.

“I think it’s important for the North to complete the withdrawal of all of its police elements, including the oil police, and that point was made by a number of colleagues in the Council.”

However, Sudanese permanent representative to the UN, Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman, ruled out the withdrawal of the forces deployed in Belila and Difra oil fields.

“Belila and Difra are inside the Sudanese territories. (The policemen) are there to protect and ensure the safety and security of our oil infrastructures,” he said.

He further said Sudan would not allow a repeat of the seizure of Heglig oil fields by the South Sudanese army last April which led to serious damage to its oil installations.

(ST)

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