Darfur rebels say Sudan air attack killed 35 civilians, call for no-fly zone

June 22, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur repulsed ground and air attacks by government forces on its strongholds of Jebel Marra and on Wednesday called for the imposition of a no-fly zone to protect Darfur civilians against haphazard shelling.

The Sudanese army has been fighting rebel groups in its western region of Darfur for eight years as several attempts to achieve peace failed to yield results due to the fragmentation of rebel groups and the government’s unwillingness to offer meaningful compromises to address the root causes of the conflict.

SLM’s official spokesman Nimir Abdel Rahman told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that government forces riding on 70 Land-Cruiser vehicles attacked Sabon Al-Fagr and Garlan Bang in Kass locality, South Darfur State, on Monday and Tuesday.

He further said that the attacks were preceded by an air attack carried out by four Antonov aircrafts and two attack helicopters and forced civilians to flee the bombing.

The rebel spokesperson said that two more attacks by government forces took place on Tuesday and Wednesday on the areas of Kagro, Bargo and Rofta in Golo in western Jebel Marra, adding that attacks were carried out by government troops transported on 80 vehicles and three Antonov aircrafts.

According to Nimir, SLM forces withstood both attacks and inflicted heavy losses on government forces in terms of lives and machinery. He said their forces captured 15 vehicles and destroyed 20 others, adding that their fighters were currently chasing government forces escaping from the area.

The rebel official said that 35 civilians had been killed as a result of the government’s air attacks and hundreds of citizens fled their home villages. He also said that government forces had pillaged the biggest market in Sabon Al-Fagr and Garlan Bang.

The spokesman said that they had intelligence that government forces were preparing to launch fresh attacks and were currently re-gathering their troops in Rockero area in northern Jabal Marra and Nartiti area in southern Darfur.

The Sudanese government is preparing to sign a peace agreement with the Liberation and Justice Movement – a cluster of minor rebel factions – in the Qatari capital of Doha. Meanwhile, the government’s negotiations with the Justice and Equality Movement – one of the region’s powerful rebel groups – have not made much progress.

Al-Nur’s faction of the SLM have refused to take part in Doha peace process. Recently they called on a large political alliance with the Sudanese forces and said resolved to continue political and military struggle to topple the regime.

The group also signed an alliance pact with the SLM- Minni Minnawi while others reintegrated the rebel movement like the former governor of West Darfur Abu El-Gasim Al-Haj.

NO-FLY ZONE FOR DARFUR

SLM leader Abdel Wahid Al-Nur condemned the air attacks on Jebel Marra villages and urged the international community to impose a no-fly zone over Darfur to protect the region’s civilians.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday, Nur said that “Darfur people are in need of such measures more than others”, in reference to the UN-mandated no-fly zone imposed over Libya to protect civilians from air attacks by forces loyal to the country’s beleaguered leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The rebel leader went on to assert that the Khartoum government cannot defeat his forces militarily, especially after the SLM’s recent adoption of the “new beginning” blueprint which aims to unify its ranks and escalate the struggle against the central government.

He added that the SLM was now a force to reckon with and was capable of protecting itself and defeating government forces.

“What is important here is the protection of civilians and the international community must move to take the necessary measures to protect them on equal footing with others,” he emphasised.

The UN estimates that Darfur conflict has killed 300,000 people and displaced more than 2.7 million in the first three years since its eruption in 2003. The Sudanese government put the number of dead at around 10,000.

(ST)