Sudan Army to Withdraw From South in 30 Months

[seriousstan]

KHARTOUM, 3 January 2005 — The Sudanese military is to complete the withdrawal of its forces from the south within 30 months of signing a peace deal ending a 21-year conflict with rebels, an independent daily reported yesterday.

Al-Rai Al-Aam said a protocol Khartoum signed with the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army on Friday in Kenya also calls on the SPLA to pull out its forces from areas of northern Sudan within eight months.

The withdrawals, which are set to take place under international monitoring, were laid out in a security protocol paving the way for the signing of a comprehensive peace deal on Jan. 9 to end Africa’s longest-running civil war.

A permanent cease-fire will come into force 72 hours after the signing of the final agreement, Al-Rai Al-Aam said, putting a halt to a conflict that has killed at least 1.5 million people and displaced four million more.

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