Sudanese army claims it repulsed new rebel attack in Darfur
KHARTOUM, Dec 27 (AFP) — The Sudanese army yesterday claimed to have repulsed an attack by Darfur rebels on the Chadian border town of Kulbus, the second assault in 24 hours.
“Gangs of banditry and subversion in Darfur once again launched on Friday afternoon an attack in large numbers on Kulbus town and on an army position,” the Armed Forces General Command said.
Government troops and popular defence fighters “as usual, stood up fast and courageously to the large numbers of bandits and engaged in a long battle in which our troops drove them back on their heels, leaving behind their dead, wounded, prisoners, weapons, ammunition and vehicles,” the statement said.
The statement did not give casualty figures for the attackers, whom it stopped short of calling rebels.
“The hirelings and agents, who serve foreign ends against the stability, security and unity of the Sudan, thought they could achieve the goals of their masters but their plans will be thwarted by the cohesion and steadfastness of the army, popular defence forces and people of Darfur who have become aware of the evil and subversive plans of those hirelings,” the General Command said.
It advised them to resort to reason and go back to the peace negotiations within the Abeche agreement “as they have obviously failed to achieve their evil goals through armed banditry and subversion and they should now be aware that they will be the first victims of the flames of sedition they have ignited by themselves.”
The General Command late Friday confirmed a press report that rebels of the Sudan Liberation Army and Justice and Equality Movement launched an afternoon attack on Kulbus a day earlier that was repulsed by the government troops.
Friday’s assault was the fourth one since mid-October on this town, which is about 10km from the border.
A press report yesterday disclosed that two presidential envoys on Thursday paid an undeclared short visit to Ndjamena where they handed President Idriss Debe a written message from President Omar Al Bashir on ways for strengthening bilateral relations between Khartoum and Ndjamena.