Darfur rebel leader assassination attempt foiled in Asmara

Nov 14, 2006 (ASMARA) — A Darfur rebel group accused Sudanese security service of attempting to kill one of its leaders in the Eritrean capital Asmara. It further said that the rebel leader arrived today in a European capital.

Abdelwahid Mohamed A-Nur.

The rebel Sudan Liberation Movement accused the Sudanese security service of attempting to assassinate Abdelwahid Mohamed al-Nur, the former leader of the SLM. It said the assassination attempt occurred after Eritrean authorities preventing him from boarding a plane departing from the Eritrean territory.

The rebel source said Abdelwahid has arrived in The Hague Tuesday after the intervention of the Netherlands Embassy in Asmara.

Sudanese authorities fear that Abdelwahid who had a tough stand during Abuja talks could complicate the coming peace talks with Darfur holdout rebels.

Abdelwahid was dismissed from the leadership of his group at the end of last July. He was criticised for his lack of consultations and contacts with the movement leadership inside the country.

Currently, he participates in reunification talks for all the SLM factions. The SLM is expected to hold a general conference abroad in the coming moths.

This dramatic development could hinder the mediation process engaged by the Eritrean authorities. Reliable rebel sources said that Eritrean mediation appears compromised and Asmara in no more a save place to hold peace talks with the Sudanese government.

Relations between Sudan and Eritrea have seen tremendous developments during the last weeks.

After the January 2005 signing of a peace agreement to end Sudan’s long-running north-south civil war, the two nations have warmed to each other with Eritrea playing a lead role in ending the conflict in east Sudan.

Eritrea have good relations with the different Darfur rebel groups where most of them choose Asmara as host country after their opposition to Abuja peace deal signed by the Sudanese government and Minni Minawi group in last May.

Rumours circulated since more than month that Eritrean authorities prevent and hinder the movement of Darfur rebel leaders from Asmara.

All the Darfur rebel groups welcomed Asmara as venue for talks with the Sudanese government but they underscored the importance of the participation of the international community in the talks.

Asmara which sponsored Eastern Sudan peace talks during the three months had rejected any international presence in the talks. Sudanese president who had accused Eritrea of supporting Darfur rebels welcomed the Eritrean mediation because he agrees with Asmara stand on this issue.

Observers say Nigeria could host the coming talks after his declaration on developing “genocide” in Darfur last October. Many rebel leaders appreciated his position on the ongoing war in Darfur. They applauded this “courageous” stand.

(ST)