A senior Sudanese army leader strongly rejected a Kenya-led initiative to send East African peacekeeping forces to help end the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which has lasted for over 100 days. In a video released on Monday, he stated that none of these forces would return home alive. Earlier this month, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional bloc in East Africa that includes Kenya, proposed a plan to deploy peacekeeping forces in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.
The Sudanese army has repeatedly rejected the Kenya-led initiative, accusing it of supporting the Rapid Support Forces. They stated that any foreign peacekeeping forces would be considered hostile. General Yasser Al-Atta, the Assistant Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, told soldiers, "Keep East African forces where they are... (They want) to bring in the Kenyan army, come," and vowed that none of these forces would return. He also accused Kenya of being bought by a third country, without naming the country in question.
Kenyan Foreign Affairs Minister Korir Sing'Oei told Reuters, "This statement does not warrant a comment from us," adding that the accusations were groundless and that his country remains neutral. He continued, "By insisting that lasting peace can only be achieved by involving civil parties in any mediation process and calling for accountability for atrocities, some in Sudan may find it difficult to accept these principles."
