Sudan denies bombing of Chadian positions

Oct 28, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan on Saturday denied a Chadian report that Sudanese planes bombed four villages in western Chad near the volatile Darfur region.

Chadian government spokesman Musa Doumgor said the Sudanese air force struck the villages of Bahai, Tine, Kayarin and Bamina on Friday and that Chad’s military “has taken all necessary measures to protect its population.”

However, the Sudanese army spokesman, Brig. Gen. Osman Mohamed al-Aghbash said the Chadian report was false and that Sudanese forces “have no interest in intervening there.”

On Wednesday, Chad accused Sudan of supporting rebels that have attacked three eastern towns in recent days. Officials said the rebels had been driven back across the border.

On Friday the UN announced that it was sending a mission to Chad and the Central African Republic to look at how to curb escalating violence in Darfur that is spilling into bordering countries.

Both countries are being used by rebel groups as rear bases for destabilizing activities in both Chad and Sudan’s western Darfur region and “the humanitarian fallout is extremely serious,” Undersecretary-General for Peacekeeping Jean-Marie Guehenno said in New York.

However, al-Aghbash said that a senior military delegation visited Chad’s capital of N’djamena last week to improve relations between the two countries’ militaries.

He also denied that Sudan was permitting Chadian rebels from operating from Sudanese territory.

(AP)