Rebel leader accuses Sudan of attacks in North Darfur
May 21, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — A Darfur rebel group has accused the government backed militia of killing five civilians, one in an air raid, in the country’s troubled Darfur region, a Khartoum newspaper reported Monday.
However, an army spokesman denied the armed forces were involved in any incidents in these areas. Meanwhile a spokesman for the AU peacekeeping force in Darfur reaffirmed that he is investigating the report.
A spokesman for the army denied reports that attacks had been launched near the Jabal Moon area saying the army had carried out routine patrols and that no clashes had occurred. He pointed out that the incidents could have been the result of tribal clashes and that the rebels were wrongly blaming the government for them. He further denied that the government had bombarded an area with a water pump.
The four-year conflict between ethnic African rebels and pro-government janjaweed militia in Sudan’s western region has killed more than 200,000 people and displaced 2.5 million Darfurians.
(ST)