Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has accused South Sudan of supporting and harboring Sudanese rebel groups. He claimed that the rebels in South Sudan receive military support and weapons from the government but said they would not deny refugees haven.
“We will not change our policy [of accepting South Sudanese refugees] … and will spare no effort to achieve peace in South Sudan,” al-Bashir said.
South Sudan became a sovereign nation in 2011 after seceding from Sudan following a popular referendum. Two years later, however, civil war erupted in the fledgling state between government and opposition forces.
Despite a peace deal signed in 2015, the ongoing war has left thousands dead and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. Many South Sudanese have since fled to Sudan in hopes of escaping the violence and the country’s dire humanitarian situation.
