Simon Tisdall (Britain’s military gamble in South Sudan, 9 September) says that the rebels in South Sudan “are supported by the Sudan government of Omar al-Bashir”. Sudan has consistently declared support for the elected government, with which it signed a cooperation agreement in 2012. When the civil war began in December 2013 Sudan (as the country most affected by instability in the new state) won praise for involvement in reconciliation contacts. During a visit to Khartoum in January 2014, Mark Simmonds, the UK minister for Africa, said “I very much commend Sudan for the balanced role it has played so far in support for the Igad-led negotiations.”
Riek Machar fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (not Sudan as Tisdall states); but flew to Sudan for medical treatment. When he was replaced by Taban Deng Gai, President al-Bashir welcomed the new vice-president of South Sudan in Khartoum. Britain has a historical connection with the two Sudans. The decision to send troops to help stability in South Sudan deserves praise and should not be misunderstood as a “gamble” or an attempt “to maintain the fiction of global reach”, as Tisdall writes. It is also in line with the AU’s call for more troops, which was supported by Sudan.
Khalid AlMubarak
Embassy of Sudan
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