Sudanese troops fight with rebels in south Darfur

January 15, 2008 (KHARTOUM, Sudan) — The Sudanese Army fought with rebels Tuesday in south Darfur and inflicted heavy casualties on the fighters, a semiofficial news agency reported.

Sudanese army spokesman Brig. Osman Mohamed al-Aghbash said dozens of rebels from the Justice and Equality Movement, riding in 18 trucks, attacked Sudanese government troops with the intention of taking over the Sheiria area, the Sudan Media Center reported.

The rebel group was not immediately available to comment on the report. The Sudan Media Center, or SMC, is believed to have close ties to hardline government officials.

Sudanese forces repulsed the attack and inflicted heavy casualties on the rebels, al-Aghbash was quoted as saying.

The rebels have “completely withdrawn from the area after sustaining heavy material and human losses,” he said without elaborating.

He also denied a rebel claim from a day earlier that Sudanese aircraft had bombed villages in west Darfur.

(AP)