SLA rebels shoot down Sudanese helicopter in North Darfur

April 29, 2007 (AL-FASHER) — Darfur rebel Sudan Liberation Army shot down a military helicopter this after noon in northern Darfur. The chopper was bombing rebel positions in the area.

According to the field commander of the SLA troops in North Darfur, Suleiman Marjan, the helicopter was shot down in Umrai, in North Darfur, while it was bombarding the area with an antonov.

“The plane is just shot down by our troops and we are looking for the pilot and his aides. They crashed not so far from where I’m speaking.” Marjan told Sudan Tribune by satellite telephone.

The rebel commander said his troops were in a legitimate defense position, accusing the Sudanese army of bombing regularly Umari, Anki, Holla, and Jira, since one week. He said the air strikes are carried every time by one antonov and two helicopters.

Last February, the UN Secretay Gneral Special envoy for Darfur, Jan Eliasson, met with SLA commanders in Umrai to discuss the Darfur peace process.

(ST)