Southern Sudanese military groups convene meetings

In the city of Malkal of the " Higher Nile" province to the southern east of Sudan on Monday meetings took place for the largest coalition of Southern military groups, signatories of the al-Khartoum agreement for peace.

The official spokesman for the group of Vaolino Mateib, Joseph Mateib said in a statement to the Sudanese daily al-Rai al-Am on Tuesday that these meetings which were attended by leaders of more than 10 groups aim at unifying their military forces under one umbrella, relating to the higher Nile areas.

Mateib added that leaders of the Southern Sudanese groups showed serious readiness to unify under the leadership concerned with preserving the gains realized by al-Khartoum agreement for peace and that their meeting concentrate on the need of revitalizing the role of these groups in protecting peace in South Sudan and ensuring safety to the areas run by the Government.

Mateib also stressed that this meeting will end by signing a joint charter for the armed south Sudan groups and draws the foundation of the united relations expected under the umbrella of a selected leadership.