Rebel-army clashes kill 5 civilians in Darfur’s Kutum
Oct 17, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — Clashes between Darfur rebels and Sudanese armed forces killed five civilians in the latest violence to tear at the frayed ceasefire in Sudan’s western region, the African Union said on Monday.
“African Union monitors in Kutum, North Darfur heard sustained heavy bombardment in the south-east of Kutum,” AU spokesman Noureddine Mezni told Reuters.
He said the main rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) attacked an army outpost and the government responded with mortar fire.
“Five civilians were killed in the two villages affected,” he said, adding another five people were injured.
One SLA fighter was killed and one government soldier injured in the clashes, he said.
AU-sponsored peace talks in the Nigerian capital Abuja have faltered because of a recent escalation of fighting and splits in the rebel ranks.
Non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003 accusing Khartoum of neglect and of monopolising wealth and power. Tens of thousands have been killed and more than 2 million forced from their homes in the violence, which the United States called genocide. Khartoum denies the charge.
U.N. officials have said the recent violence has hindered vital aid to hundreds of thousands of refugees and restricted the movement for many of the 11,000 humanitarian workers in the remote region.
“The security situation in Darfur is not improving — thousands of people still face threats of horrific violence everyday,” said Nikki Bennett from British aid agency Oxfam.
“Humanitarian agencies are increasingly being targeted by banditry and looting incidents,” she said.
The Ceasefire Commission, which monitors violations, met in Chad on Thursday and Friday. It called on the parties to respect the April 2004 ceasefire, stop mass troop movements, and inform the Commission of their positions.
The final communique obtained by Reuters on Monday demanded the SLA withdraw from four contested areas in South Darfur — Labado, Geraida, Ishma and Marla — where AU forces alone should be deployed.
The towns were the scene of fierce fighting last December and January between government and rebel forces.
UNITY MEETING
The Commission also urged the rebel groups to overcome their internal quarrels and unify.
SLA field commanders said on Monday they had called for a unity meeting to agree on joint positions going forward.
Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim, head of the SLA’s conference organising committee, said all SLA leaders had been invited to the October 25 meeting. Sources said the conference was likely to be in South Darfur state.
SLA President Abdel Wahed Mohamed el-Nur has differed with Secretary-General Minni Arcua Minnawi on key issues, including mediation and control of ground troops.
Minnawi in Darfur has more support among the field commanders while Nur has been more of a political leader acting outside the region. The two have rarely presented a united front and some field commanders said this had to change.
SLA member Abdallah Idriss in South Darfur said: “We haven’t seen our president for two years. We want to see him, to talk to him,” he told Reuters.
But some were doubtful he would attend.
“We don’t have any administration for our forces and Abdel Wahed says things we don’t like and we want to know why,” said one commander in Darfur. “Abdel Wahed is saying he won’t come because only he can organise a conference,” he said, on condition of anonymity.
(Reuters)