Sudan denies military training for South Sudan rebels

KHARTOUM 

Sudan has denied reports about providing rebel forces loyal to sacked South Sudanese vice president Riek Machar with military training.

"These reports are totally groundless," army spokesman Col. al-Sawarmi Khalik Sa’ad said in a press release on Tuesday.

He termed the accusations as "an attempt to spoil the recent visit by President Salva Kiir to Khartoum".

Sudanese media had attributed accusations by South Sudanese army spokesman Philip Aguer that Khartoum has provided rebels with military training.

The accusations came one week after the South Sudanese army spokesman accused Khartoum of shelling the oil-rich Unity State.

Al-Sawarmi said that the Sudanese government and army are "pursuing neutrality regarding the situation in South Sudan".

South Sudan has been shaken by violence since last December, when Kiir accused Machar of trying to overthrow his regime.

The conflict has already claimed more than 10,000 lives, with the U.N. estimating that some one million South Sudanese have been displaced by the violence.

By Mohamed al-Khatem

englishnews@aa.com.tr