Government accuses west Sudan rebels of abducting scores of people, including 13 civil servants

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Jan 14, 2004 (AP) — Rebels in western Sudan have kidnapped scores of people, including 13 civil servants, the official Sudan News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The agency confirmed news reports coming from Darfur province last week that rebels had overrun the settlement of Shi’iria, about 950 kilometers (600 miles) west of the capital Khartoum, and abducted a large number of people.

Among the government employees taken hostage are four women and an executive director, the agency said.

The earlier reports said a number of security force members were killed in the attack.

A rebel group called the Sudan Liberation Army has been fighting for autonomy in Darfur for the past six months. There has been no statement from the SLA on the alleged abductions.

U.N. officials have said the insurgency has led to about 100,000 people taking refuge in neighboring Chad, which lies west of Darfur. Hundreds of people are reported to have been killed in the conflict.

Attempts by the Chad government to mediate the conflict have failed. The United States and Britain are known to have expressed concern to the government about the fighting.

On Wednesday, Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir was quoted by Sudanese state television as saying his priority was to eradicate the rebellion and ”to collect the weapons in the hands of civilians.”

El-Bashir denied the rebellion arose from government neglect of Darfur, as the rebels have argued.

Darfur is one of the poorest areas of Sudan and a region prone to drought and famine.

El-Bashir said the insurgency stemmed from certain politicians pursuing their interests, but he did not name them.

Previously, government officials and members of the ruling National Congress party have blamed the opposition Popular Congress, which is led by Hassan Turabi, for the events in Darfur. The Popular Congress has denied the accusation.