Sudanese army attacks rebel convoy in North Darfur
Dec 20, 2006 (PARIS) — Sudanese army troops attacked a rebel convoy moving from North to South Darfur today. A rebel source said they repelled the attack after inflecting heavy causalities to the government troops.
The Sudan Liberation Army leading commander Suleiman Marjan told the Sudan Tribune that the regular army attacked a convoy of SLA troops moving from South to North Darfur. The rebel commander who belongs to SLM-Abdelwahid Al Nur group indicated that the army ambushed his forces near Kobah area on Kutum Al-Fasher road.
He said that his troops repulsed the assailant adding that they captured 22 vehicles and destroyed thirteen vehicles. Marjan also said that the government forces abandoned behind them much of arms and ammunition.
He further said that a Sudanese military antonov plane bombed the village of Hashaba in the same area before the fighting killing seven civilians.
Asked about the human causalities, Marjan said the fighting had just finished and they would give the number of the killed soldiers later.
A recent African Union report presented on 16 December in a ceasefire commission meeting said AU investigations had confirmed the government and allied Janjaweed were responsible for multiple attacks that killed scores of civilians.
Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir had justified government army attacks on the rebel NRF saying this group is established after the signing of Darfur peace deal and they are not signatory of the ceasefire agreement.
Al-Bashir said that accusation of ceasefire violation was directed to Sudan government when the Armed Forces tended to confront the aggressing NRF when its forces reached a position that only 30 kilometres far from Al-Fashir city, the capital of North Darfur State.
The SLM/A is a signatory of 2004 ceasefire agreement and it is represented at the Ceasefire commission in al-Fasher.
The Sudanese army attacked in November SLA positions at Birmaza in North Darfur to prevent the holding of a SLA commanders meeting. The AU accused at that time the Sudanese army of violating the ceasefire agreement.
(ST)