

January 8, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan’s eastern state of Kassala on Monday has formed a higher committee for popular mobilization hours after its governor announced the closure of borders with Eritrea.

The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir last week issued a decree imposing a six-month state of emergency in North Kordofan and Kassala states.

The government said the decision was prompted by security reasons pertaining to the collection of illicit arms as well as combating drugs and human trafficking.

On Saturday, Sudan shut down its border with Eritrea following deployment of thousands of the government militia Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters to Kassala.

The official news agency SUNA on Monday said the paramilitary Popular Defence Forces (PDF) has made a proposal to set up a mobilization committee in Kassala.

According to the agency, the governor of Kassala State has approved the proposal and instructed to form a higher mobilization committee under his auspices.

The committee will be chaired by the Minister of Education and a representative from the PDF would serve as a rapporteur.

The PDF fought along the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) during the two-decade civil war with South Sudan and many analysts believe that it is the military arm of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite television recently reported that Egypt has sent reinforcements to a military base in the Berbera port of Eritrea.

Ethiopia had previously accused some Egyptians and the government in Eritrea of providing support to Ethiopian opposition groups to disrupt construction of the multi-billion dollar power project and to destabilise the nation.

(ST)