Sudanese government says Darfur rebels attack school convoy

April 8, 2006 (ALFASHIR) — Sudanese authorities accused Darfur rebel forces of attacking a convoy of schools buses transporting students, who did their exams in Al-Fashir town, the headquarters of Northern Darfur State yesterday.

The students were on their way to Kutum town, and were being escorted by security officers from the armed forces and the police.

The rebel movement attacked the administrative convoy using 30 Land Cruiser vehicles and four big vehicles, the state-run SUNA said.

Osman Mohamed Youcif Kibir, the governor of Northern Darfur State, has said that the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) Minawi faction forces attacked the convoy at Donki Shata area, near Wana Mountains, adding that some members of the armed forces and the police were killed and some others were wounded in the attack.

However, he said, the government forces have caused heavy human and material losses among the rebel forces during the attack.

On the other side in a press release issued today the SLM accused the government troops of carrying out attacks against its forces in the region. It also said that SLM forces attacked a convoy of the Sudanese army near Kutum on 7 April.

The governor further added that this heinous attack was aimed at derailing the Abuja peace talks which are in progress.

Despite the signing of a ceasefire agreement in August 2004, the security situation in Sudan’s troubled Darfur remains very tense. The African mediators try to convince the Sudanese warring parties to sign an enhanced ceasefire agreement.

(ST)