KHARTOUM, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's mediation team on Friday announced suspension of the talks between Sudanese government and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector, led by Abdelaziz Al-Hilu, said Sudan's Sovereign Council in a statement.
"The mediation team has decided to suspend the negotiations between the Sudanese government and the SPLM-led by Al-Hilu," Tut Gatluak, South Sudan's presidential adviser on security affairs and head of the mediation team, was quoted in the statement as saying.
"There will be consultations between the mediation team and the SPLM leadership on resumption of the negotiations later," he said.
He further explained that the delegation of the movement would remain in Juba, stressing that the talks would continue at all other tracks to reach a comprehensive peace deal in Sudan.
The mediation team did not mention the reason behind suspension of the talks, but media reports said on Thursday that the SPLM/northern sector led by Al-Hilu had withdrawn from a procedural session in Juba because what the movement termed as government's violations to the cease-fire at the areas of its control in South Kordofan area.
The SPLM/northern sector has been fighting the government in South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas since 2011. The movement later split into two factions, one led by Malik Agar and the other by Abdelaziz Al-Hilu.
Since October 2019, South Sudan has been mediating between the Sudanese government and the armed groups from Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions to reach a peace deal. Enditem
