Air strikes “will resume” in Southern Sudan

The Sudanese government on Monday announced its intention to resume air strikes in the south and in the Nubah Mountains. A statement from the Sudanese foreign ministry said the government was resuming bomb attacks to “defend itself in the face of continued aggression” from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). It said the rebels had last week launched an operation against regions which had been safe for many years. However, an SPLM/A spokesman told IRIN on Tuesday that there had never been a halt to the air strikes, and there had been at least 11 ariel attacks since Khartoum announced on 24 May that it was halting the attacks. [For more details see IRIN article SUDAN: Khartoum announces resumption of bombings.]