Darfur rebels accuse government militias of launching fresh attacks

January 26, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The rebel Sudan Liberation Movement Abdel-Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW) has accused the government of launching fresh attacks on areas east of Jebel Marra in Darfur region.

Omer Zakaria, an SLM-AW commander told radio Afia Darfur that government forces and allied militias attacked Galdo area in Central Darfur state, pointing that the attack has intentionally targeted civilian population particularly as armed groups have no presence in the area.

According to Zakaria, more than 100 vehicles loaded with militiamen are currently en route to Golu area in preparation for a planned attack on SLM-AW positions, expecting that deadly battles will ensue in the coming days.

He warned the government militias against carrying out massacres that target villagers, stressing that his movement is ready to push back any militias which attempt to seize its positions.

The Sudanese army (SAF) and government militias launched a large-scale military offensive against rebel positions in eastern Jebel Marra at the start of this month.

Both SAF and rebel forces have confirmed the death of a prominent rebel commander from the SLM faction led by Minni Minnawi, who was killed near Orchi in North Darfur on January 13th
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Last week, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said clashes between the government forces and several factions of SLM in eastern Jebel Marra forced 18,000 civilians to flee their villages to El Fasher, Shangil Tobaya, Tawila and Um Baru in North Darfur.

(ST)