In a tweet,
Donald Trump wrote: "GREAT news! New government of Sudan, which is making
great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families.
"Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and BIG step for Sudan!"
US President
Donald Trump has said Sudan will come off a list of state sponsors of terror if
it pays compensation of $335m (£259m).
Sudanese
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok responded by saying the funds had been
transferred but there was no immediate US confirmation.
Sudan has
been listed since 1993 when al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden lived there as a
guest of the government.
The compensation relates to al-Qaeda's 1998 bombing of US embassies in Africa.
The attacks
in Tanzania and Kenya killed more than 220 people and the compensation money is
to be paid to "US terror victims and families", Mr Trump said.
Relations
between the US and Sudan have improved since President Omar al-Bashir was
ousted after mass street protests last year. Mr Bashir had ruled the
conflict-ridden African nation for 30 years.
Dropping
Sudan from the blacklist will be very welcome news in the country, where food,
fuel and medicine are getting more expensive and scarce, Deputy Africa Editor
Anne Soy reports.
The US
president has the power to remove a nation from the State Sponsors of Terrorism
list. Congress then has 45 days to object.
Sudan is
currently one of four countries - along with Iran, North Korea and Syria - on
the blacklist.
No comments:
Post a Comment