Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs says his country will not become a “base” for any armed opposition against the South Sudanese government.

In a statement, Ibrahim Ghandour said Sudan is a member of a three-party committee assigned by IGAD to follow up the implementation of the South Sudan peace deal.

With this role in the South Sudan peace process, Mr Ghandour said his country will not be a starting point for any armed opposition in South Sudan.

According to the official Sudan news agency, he reiterated his government position yesterday on return from the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

Dr Riek Machar, who leads a faction of the SPLM in Opposition, has been in Khartoum for about a month now on medical grounds.

He left Juba in July, after a clash that started at the presidential palace, J1, between his troops and those of the President. He was replaced with Taban Deng Gai as the First Vice President.

This week, his spokesperson, James Gatdet, said the group would fight against “violations of the peace agreement”.

However, Mr Ghandour did not refer to any specific group, but he said Sudan is a key member of the tripartite mechanism set up by IGAD, which monitors the implementation of the peace agreement in South Sudan.

He further reiterated that Sudan’s intent regarding peace in South Sudan stems from the fact that peace in both countries can only be achieved when it is attained in the other country.