Sudan rebels say latest attack “return to war”

KHARTOUM, Nov 1 (Reuters) – Rebels from western Sudan who signed a ceasefire with the Khartoum government two months ago said Sudanese armed forces launched an air strike against their bases on Saturday, a move they considered a “return to war”.

But Hassan Ibrahim, spokesman for the negotiation delegation of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A), said the group remained committed to ongoing peace negotiations in Chad, and would respect the ceasefire as long as talks continued.

“We choose to inform the international community and the people of Sudan of this latest development which we consider to be a return to war and proof of the Khartoum government’s lack of sincerity,” Ibrahim told Reuters from the talks in the Chadian town of Abeche, near the borders of the two countries. “We are committed to the continuation of the negotiation process and will raise this matter with the Chadian mediator,” he said.

Ibrahim said it was too early to say if there were any casualties in the air strike on SLM/A bases. Government officials were not immediately available to comment.

The SLM/A emerged as a fighting force in February, saying the Islamist government in Khartoum had marginalised the poor and arid western Darfur region.

Separate peace talks between the Sudanese government and the main southern rebel group to end a two-decade-long civil war are making progress in Kenya, with both sides pledging to reach a comprehensive peace deal by the end of the year.

But an SLM/A spokesman said on Friday talks in Chad were deadlocked over Khartoum’s rejection of rebel demands for the presence of international monitors in Darfur.

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said in remarks published by the Sudanese newspaper al-Rai al-Aam on Thursday: “The government rejects any presence of international monitors in Darfur and the other demands connected with it.”