Hundreds killed in south Sudan clashes–ex-officer

Nov 30, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Hundreds of people may have been killed in the heaviest fighting between Sudan’s former north-south foes since they signed a peace deal last year, a senior former rebel officer said on Thursday.

“More than hundreds have been lost. The Sudan army sustained very heavy casualties and civilians were caught in the crossfire,” Elias Waya Nyipuocs, a former officer in the southern rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), told Reuters.

The fighting in the southern town of Malakal began three days ago and escalated into full trench warfare between the northern Sudanese Armed Forces and the SPLA.

Nyipuocs said militias belonging to the SAF attacked the SPLA and the local commissioner of Malakal. The militiamen then took refuge in the SAF barracks near the airport.

“We were forced to overrun the barracks and the SAF fought side by side with the militia against the SPLA,” he said.

SAF tanks then counter-attacked and also shelled the town, inflicting high civilian casualties, he said. An SAF spokesman was not immediately able to comment.

(Reuters)