Rebel JEM denies clashes with Minawi group in South Darfur
Oct 3, 2006 (LONDON) — The Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) denied reports related to its alleged involvement in clashes against the former rebel faction of Minni Minawi in south Darfur.
In a press release, the JEM spokesperson, Ahmed Hussein Adam, categorically denies any involvement in the attack on the SLA base in Greida town, south Darfur at the end of last month.
Up to 40 people were killed in clashes between JEM and SLM – Minawi faction in south Darfur, forcing foreign aid workers to abandon the Greida displaced persons’ camp, the Guardian newspaper reported on its Web site on Monday 2 October.
JEM “declare that they never had any active forces in the area at the time of the attack” Adam said. “Captive soldiers in the attack have confessed that they have been sent to Greida by the government and the SLM, Minnawi Faction has already made a press release to that effect”.
In this regard, Senior Presidential Assistant, Minni Minawi, strongly denounced Greida’s attack against his deputy Al-Rayah Mahmoud and the SLM’s general commander, Mohamed Jumaa Hagar, on Friday 29 September.
He said preliminary investigations confirmed that some government sides, hostile to peace, were involved. He said this diminished the government’s credibility regarding the implementation of the peace agreement in Darfur.
Minawi reaffirmed that hostages taken during the incident would continue to be questioned to reveal all the threads of the conspiracy.
On the other hand, an AU source has confirmed that more than 10 members of the SLM faction led by Minawi were killed or injured in the Greida incidents. The source said this latest internal SLM dispute erupted over arrangements in the Abuja Peace Agreement between Zaghawah and Massalit tribe members of the movement, and shooting ensued.
(ST)