Darfur rebels deny claims of causalities, reiterate Sudan attacked them
Dec 21, 2006 (PARIS) — A rebel field commander denied Sudanese army statement that 200 rebels were killed in yesterday fighting in North Darfur. The SLA rebel reiterated that the army attacked its troops and not the contrary.
Suleiman Marjan who was the first to announce yesterday to Sudan Tribune the fighting in Kutum – Al Fasher road with the Sudanese army, reiterated that his troops was attacked by the Sudan armed forces (SAF) and not as it was announced in the SAF statement today.
He also affirmed that the Sudan Liberation Army forces had inflicted massive causalities on the assailant forces. He indicated that at least 200 soldiers and militiamen were killed and the SLA lost six soldiers.
He also refuted claims of attacking Kutum town as it was stated by the army.
Marjan said that the SLA convoy was heading from South Darfur to North Darfur to attend a meeting for the Sudan Liberation Movement conference in the context of reuniting the different factions of the movement.
He told Sudan Tribune that “World should know that Sudanese government does not want the success of SLM/AA reunification efforts”. According to Marjan this is the second time that Sudanese army try to hinder SLM reunification efforts.
On mi November 2006, AU mission condemned a flagrant violation of the ceasefire in Darfur by Sudanese army after attacks and aerial bombardments on Birmaza, in North Darfur in conjunction with armed militia group. Khartoum troops attacked the area and caused heavy civilian causalities because the field SLM/A leadership planed to hold a reunification meeting there.
He said that Sudanese army claims of repelling the rebel National Redemption Front forces (NRF) are just a pretext to dodge regional and international condemnation of violating the ceasefire agreement in the region.
“Khartoum is against peace and invest huge efforts to dismember the SLM/A and to pay the weak elements like Abdelqasim Imam al-Haj who signed a peace deal with Khartoum last month in Tripoli”.
To avoid condemnation of the AU ceasefire commission, Sudan pretends that its forces are allowed to attack NRF forces because the NRF is established after the signing of Darfur peace accord in May 2006with a faction of the SLM.
In a statement quoted by the state-run SUNA news agency Thursday, the Sudanese army said has killed 200 rebels and lost four of its own men while repelling a NRF attack on the town of Kutum.
Fresh violence has erupted in Darfur recently, with African military observers increasingly in the line of fire and aid agencies warning of a deteriorating humanitarian situation.
The latest deaths come as diplomats are involved in last-ditch efforts to convince Khartoum to accept UN peacekeepers who would replace the embattled 7,000-strong African contingent struggling to contain the violence.
(ST)