The Sudanese government denied recently that it was using the southeastern airport of Hallij for military purposes, the Sudanese News Agency (SUNA) reported. In a letter to his Canadian counterpart, Foreign Minister Mustafa Uthman Isma’il said the airport was being used for the civilian purposes of transporting equipment and employees of the oil companies. “The airport was never utilised for military purposes,” he said. Isma’il said security measures in the area where the oil companies are operating were being provided upon the request of these companies. The Canadian government recently accused Sudan of using the Hajlij airport for military activities and also cast doubt on the safety of workers in the neighbouring oil fields.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
Share this article