The Sudanese army Thursday denied the death of a soldier in Yemen saying such rumours intend to undermine the morale of its troops.

Ga’id Nasr , spokesman of the popular resistance forces fighting to reinstate President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi Thursday said a Sudanese soldier was killed and two others were injured in the battle for Sheraiha areas between the towns of Lahaj and Ta’ez.

He said two of the troops loyal to President Hadi were also killed in the fighting for the control of Sheraiha, adding that his men had already reached the centre of the town.

However the Sudanese army spokesperson Brigadier General Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami, told Sudan Tribune that what is circulated by the media about the death and injury of Sudanese soldiers in Yemen is not true at all.

"It intends to undermine the resolve of the Sudanese forces," he further said.

Al-Shami confirmed that the Sudanese forces participated on Wednesday and Thursday in Sheraiha attack to break the siege of Taiz. He further explained that the battle yesterday was tense and Sudanese forces managed play a determinant role in the fighting, and inflicted heavy losses amid the Houthis

Some 850 Sudanese troops are already deployed in Yemen within the allied forces led by the Kingdom Saudi Arabia.

Sudan earlier pledged 6000 fighters to operate alongside the Saudi–led alliance.

READY TO SEND MORE TROOPS

Speaking to the Arabic-language al-Arabiyya TV station, Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir said Thursday Sudan was committed to "an effective contribution within the Arab alliance until it achieves its objectives .’’

He said his country was ready to send an additional brigade of 1500 men to yemen.

In a separate interview with the U.A.E-based Sky News Arabic Wednesday night Bashir further stated that the chances for a political solution in Yemen "are little but not impossible".

“The insistence of the Huthi and Salih forces upon fighting makes it difficult to reach a peaceful solution,’’ he said.

He further explained his reasons for sending troops to Yemen.”We were alarmed to see a tiny minority (the Houthis ) take control of Yemen,’’ he said.

He said his country was bound with strong relations with all the components of the Yemeni people and "that is why we decided to take part in whatever action that restores normalcy to Yemen".

Bashir further said that , during the popular uprising in Yemen , Sudan had tried to mediate a solution between Salih and his adversaries to no avail.

He said the Sudanese troops in Yemen are but a support force "as the terrain in Yemen cannot allow our forces to engage in direct combat".

Sudan had sent its forces in two batches to keep law and order in areas liberated by the Hadi and allied forces, it was reported at an earlier stage.

Bashir said he was alarmed by the growing Iranian influence in the Arab Region , confirming that his government had banned Iran’s cultural activity in the country but diplomatic relations with Iran had remained in place.

At an earlier stage the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had announced that Sudan’s participation in the Saudi –led alliance fighting the Houthi and Salih forces was "out of the country’s keenness to reinstate the legitimate government and to maintain the security of the region and that of Saudi Arabia".

Meanwhile, Bashir has lambasted the Egyptian media that had of late been criticizing his government’s policies.”This is a bad media that stokes conflicts and creates problems,’’ he said.

He said he was very alarmed about the way the Egyptian media had promoted the recent Egyptian parliamentary elections in the disputed border enclave of Halayib.”That coverage was very provocative to the people of Sudan,’’ he said.

“The Egyptian media had embarrassed me very much as the president of Sudan, a matter that prompted me to defend Sudan’s right in Halayib in the way I did,’’ he said.

Bashir has denied any link between his government and the international brotherhood organization or its Egyptian affiliate. “That is mere propaganda from the Egyptian press,’’ he said.

He said Sudan’s established policy was to keep good ties with any Egyptian government , be it that of the Moslem Brotherhood, Alsisi or Hosni Mubarak.

(ST)