Sudan urges UN political mission to remain 'neutral'

By Adel Abdel-Rahim

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) – Sudan’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) to maintain its neutrality and distance from all political groups.

Undersecretary Dafa’alla al-Haj Ali met UNITAMS head Volker Perthes and emphasized that the UN mission should remain neutral and actively engage in facilitating intra-Sudanese dialogue, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Perthes said he recently met various Sudanese stakeholders and will continue to facilitate talks among all sides, the statement said.

Earlier this week, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council, announced that the army will withdraw from ongoing political talks and allow political and revolutionary groups to form a transitional government.

Sudan has been in turmoil since last October when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s transitional government, a move decried by political forces as a “military coup.”

More than 100 people have been killed in protests against the military since October, according to Sudanese medics.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar