Former rebels say Sudan army attacked their positions in Darfur
July 27, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Former Darfur rebels on Sunday accused Sudan’s army of a second attack on their forces since President Omar Hassan al-Bashir called for a new initiative for peace.
“Some 36 vehicles from the army attacked our post and killed four soldiers before searching and torturing civilians in seven villages we were protecting,” Minawi’s military spokesman Mohamed Dirbeen told Reuters.
Minawi’s group, the only Darfur rebel group to sign a May 2006 peace deal with Khartoum, said on Friday that as Bashir called on all forces to join a new peace process during a visit to the region last week, his planes bombed villages and killed three people.
The latest alleged attack happened more than 100 km (60 miles) south of Darfur’s historic capital el-Fasher. “This is a very serious military escalation … and at the same time Bashir is calling for peace,” Dirbeen added.
Sudan’s army said they regularly conducted “administrative operations” along that route but denied any attack on Minawi’s forces.
“This is not true — our only work there is accompanying trade and civilian convoys,” an army spokesman said.
The joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur known as UNAMID said it would be mobilising its limited air resources to investigate the report. Heavy rain has made much of the region, which is the size of France, impassable by road.
“UNAMID is going to set up a joint team to verify the situation on the ground,” said UNAMID spokesman Noureddine Mezni.
The world body has failed to acquire a dozen helicopters urgently needed by the mission, which so far only has one third of its target strength of 26,000 troops and police.
Minawi became a presidential assistant following the May 2006 deal but left his Khartoum office for Darfur months ago with no sign he may return soon. He accused Bashir of a lack of political will to implement the accord.
Bashir addressed all three Darfur state capitals last week and responded defiantly to the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor’s accusation that he had committed genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
(Reuters)