Fresh violence erupts in Sudan’s Darfur
Dec 17, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese troops killed seven Darfur rebels when fresh fighting erupted in the war-torn western region, a government official told the state-run news agency SUNA.
“The army inflicted heavy losses on the attackers from the National Redemption Front (NRF),” Idriss Abdallah, interim minister of North Darfur state, was quoted as saying.
“Seven rebels were killed, others were captured, four of their vehicles were destroyed and two others seized” during the fighting, which took place Saturday, he added.
The NRF groups rebel factions in Darfur that did not sign a peace agreement in May between Khartoum and the Sudan Liberation Movement that aimed to end four years of unrest.
Abdallah said the rebels had attacked the village of Sabah, but withdrew when the army launched a counter-offensive.
Violent incidents have been on the rise lately in Darfur, a vast western region of Sudan where African Union military observers have increasingly come under attack and where the humanitarian situation has steadily deteriorated.
Abdallah announced that the implementation of “phase one” of a plan agreed last month for the United Nations to strengthen the capacity of the AU monitors would start next week.
The first two phases provide for increased logistical support to the embattled African contingent. The third phase would see the deployment of a hybrid AU-UN peacekeeping force yet to be formally approved by Sudan.
According to the United Nations, at least 200,000 people have died of the combined effect of war and famine since fighting erupted almost four years ago in Darfur. Some sources say the toll is much higher.
(AFP)