Bashir vows to bring peace

KHARTOUM (AFP): President Omar al-Bashir vowed Monday to bring peace in the state of South Kordofan where Sudanese forces are fighting rebels, as protesters planned to hold anti-government rallies in the country’s conflict zones.

Deadly protests triggered by a government decision to raise the price of bread have rocked the east African country for weeks. The demonstrations have spiralled into nationwide rallies against the government of Bashir, who swept to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989. Officials say 30 people have died in the violence since the protests first erupted on December 19 in the farming town of Atbara, before spreading to Khartoum and other regions. Rights groups say more than 40 people have been killed. On Monday, Bashir vowed to work to bring peace in South Kordofan, a region ravaged by a deadly conflict between government forces and rebels since 2011. “Our top priority is to bring peace to this area,” Bashir, dressed in military uniform, told a crowd of cheering supporters at a televised rally in Kadguli, the capital of South Kordofan. “We are ready to go to any length to bring peace to this area.