KHARTOUM - (Sudan Tribune) The newly appointed defence attache at the U.S. embassy in Khartoum Lieut. Col. Jorn Pung Wednesday held consultations with the governor of the Blue Nile state and senior army commanders in Damazin.
The meeting was attended from the government side by Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Mohammed Abdul-Rahim, second commander of the 4th infantry division, Brig. Gen. Atef Youssef, state director of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) besides a number of army commanders.
Following the meeting, the official news agency SUNA quoted Blue Nile governor and head of the security committee Hussein Yassin Hamad as saying “the state government and all regular forces are observing the ceasefire declared by the President of the republic recently.”
Last January, President Omer Al Bashir decided to extend the unilateral cessation of hostilities in war zones for six months.
Yassin reiterated the call for arms bearers to join the dialogue and peace process, praising the U.S. stances and genuine support for the peace efforts in the country.
He pointed that the meeting discussed challenges facing peace and stability in the region besides government efforts to ease the tasks of the humanitarian and development groups operating in the Blue Nile.
According to SUNA, the U.S. defence attache stressed his country’s support for peace and stability in Sudan and particularly in the Blue Nile, expressing appreciation for the Sudanese army and its sincere adherence to the ceasefire.
He renewed the U.S. call for all arms bearers to join the dialogue and peace process.
For his part, the second commander of the 4th infantry division said Pung’s visit comes within the framework of assessing the five-track talks between Sudan and the U.S.