Sudan denies western rebels capture town

KHARTOUM, Jan 4 (Reuters) – Sudan said on Sunday government forces had repulsed an attack by rebels on a town in western Sudan which the rebels had said they had captured.

Jadedin Joudatalla, spokesman for the government of Darfur state, said the rebels had killed six members of the security forces during the attack on the town of Sherya.

The rebel Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) said on Saturday it had captured the town, 70 km (44 miles) east of the southern Darfur capital of Nyala, in a two-hour battle that killed 200 government soldiers.

“There was an attack on the area of Sherya yesterday morning which the rebels carried out…in 17 four-by-four vehicles,” Joudatalla said. “We want to assure everyone that the security situation is stable and the attack was repulsed,” he added.

Darfur is a remote, arid region neighbouring Chad where humanitarian workers have only a limited presence. Rebels took up arms there last year partly because of what they see as the region’s marginalisation by Khartoum.