Militias in east reportedly capture brigade, barricade main road

BBC Monitoring Newsfile

By Sudanese opposition National Democratic Alliance radio

Oct. 25, 2003 –The chairman of the Beja Conference, Al-Shaykh Umar Muhammad Tahir, has yesterday, Friday, 24 October, announced that joint forces from the Beja Conference and those of National Revolutionary Movement, Al-Fath Forces, managed to capture [name indistinct] 37th Qarabah Brigade, and destroyed [name indistinct], Amaadam, and Firatwash [both elements phonetic] camps which are based along Al- Gash River [eastern Sudan].

The forces also managed to captured some four Land Cruisers which were in good condition.

They also managed to blockade the national road [ between Port Sudan and Khartoum], making the area completely cut off. The chairman of the Beja Conference warned residents and companies against using the road for their own safety and that of their property. [passage omitted on poorly received speech of Al-Shaykh Umar]