Roundup: African intelligence bodies meet to discuss mercenary, foreign terrorist fighters phenomenon

Sudanese capital Khartoum on Monday hosted a regional workshop, organized by the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services in Africa (CISSA) to discuss the "Phenomenon of Mercenary, Foreign Terrorists Fighters and Negative NGOs and its Implications on Security and Stability in Africa."

Sudan's Vice-President Hassabo Mohamed Abdul-Rahman, 27 representatives of CISSA countries as well as representatives of regional and international organizations, African Union Commission and African research and studies centers attended the opening session of the workshop.

"Terrorism, negative non-governmental organizations, extremism and mercenary are issues that need to be strongly confronted as they have become standing and expected security threats in our countries and the world," said the Sudanese vice-president when addressing the workshop.

"The issue of mercenary, terrorism and negative NGOs came due to security tensions and need further cooperation among the security organs in the African countries, exchange of experiences and coordination with the security bodies in the CISSA Member States," he noted.

He further urged importance of uniting the efforts of the African continent to find solutions for the issue of mercenary and foreign fighters, saying "terrorists do not work for national issues, but they target civilians, prisoners of war and paramedics. They commit the various crimes for money together with crimes prohibited by international laws and conventions."

He accused the armed movements in Sudan's Darfur region of being mercenaries who are fighting in other countries such as Libya and South Sudan.

Chief of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), Mohamed Atta al-Moula Abbas, for his part, said that "the growing phenomena of mercenary and activities of extremism, terrorism and Negative NGOs have crippled the development and stability in many African countries."

"Negative phenomena constitutes one of the main reasons behind the suffering of our African peoples and crippling of economic and social development. It is time to transform our decisions and words into actions to combat these phenomena," he noted.

He reiterated the importance of convening the workshop at a time when many African countries are facing very complicated security circumstances and developments, calling for regional and international cooperation to face these threats which are growing everyday.

Meanwhile, CISSA's Executive Secretary, Shimelis Woldesemayat, addressing the workshop, urged for importance of working out plans and strategies to confront the phenomenon of mercenary and terrorism which has become a nagging issue for the African continent.

He stressed the need for regional and international cooperation and coordination to curb up these phenomena and threats, urging the security bodies in CISSA countries and the international community to work together to face terrorist phenomena via enacting laws, raising the awareness with the danger of terrorists and promoting for dissemination of security and stability in the countries of the African Continent.

"CISSA meetings and workshops have become important platforms for members of the region to discuss and share prospective and experiences on common security threats confronting the region and strategizing on ways of combating such threats," noted Woldesemayat. Endit