Sudanese army imposes full control on oil producing areas

The Sudanese army has stressed it has full control on all areas of oil production and its safety in all areas, and thereby underestimating the significance of threats made by the rebel movement led by John Garang to strike oil areas.

The deputy chief of staff of the Sudanese armed forces and its official spokesman lt. Gen. Muhammad Bashir Suleiman said in a statement on Saturday to the Sudanese daily al-Ayam ( days) that the armed forces have cleaned up all " pockets" of the rebellion movement in the al-Wahda province to the southern part of the country, where oil fields are situated.

He added that oil areas are completely safe after deterring the rebellion forces, noting that the fronts are stable and that the Sudanese armed forces have now seized the initiative.

Lt. Gen. Bashir Suleiman accompanied the Sudanese minister of energy Awad al-Jar on Friday in his visit to al-Wahdah province where Bambo oil field was inauguarted and started production at 15,000 barrels of oil per day.

The Sudanese oil minister expected oil production at that field, which is 85 KM to the north of oil Hajleij field in al-Wahda province to 30,000 barrels every day by the end of this year.