Sudan accuses Eritrea, southern rebels, and opposition party of backing western rebels

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Dec 29, 2003 (AP) — Sudan accused southern rebels, an opposition party and the neighboring nation of Eritrea of supporting western rebels who are leading a rebellion against the central government, according to comments published Monday.

Gen. Salah Abdallah, head of the National Security Authority, spoke to a meeting of top officials Sunday on the violence in Darfur, western Sudan, where hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes since fighting started in February.

“There is incriminating evidence of the (Sudan People’s Liberation) Movement’s involvement,” Abdallah said, in comments quoted by the official Al-Anba daily.

He accused the SPLA of supplying provisions — including arms — by air to the western insurgent groups “as recently as a week ago.”

He said there was also evidence that the opposition Popular National Congress party and Eritrea of involvement in the violence in western Sudan. The newspapers and state-run television gave no further details.

The rebels have been battling government troops and government-backed militias since February, seeking autonomy. A Sept. 3 cease-fire brokered by Chad was to have been formalized earlier this month in Ndjamena, Chad, but talks broke down over “unacceptable demands” from the rebels, mediators said.

The government insists it is committed to the dialogue and negotiations, but said the army and the militias would continue to preserve the state authority and security of the people.

The United Nations has said 670,000 people are in urgent need of assistance after fleeing their homes. Some 70,000 more have crossed the border into neighboring Chad. Around 3,000 civilians have been killed.

The United Nations and aid groups have had to curtail aid programs in the region because of the fighting.