Rebels insist on claim to have captured North Darfur town
May 25, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The Justice and Equality Movement questioned the neutrality of the hybrid peacekeeping mission, denouncing its statement that Sudanese troops still control a small town in North Darfur after fierce fighting yesterday.
Yesterday evening the Sudanese army dismissed Saiki’s statements on the capture of the location by the rebel movement.
In a statement issued today, JEM military spokesperson Ali Alwafi reiterated that their fighters captured the north Darfur town, saying “JEM entered the town of Um Baru, North Darfur and cleared it of all government forces.”
Speaking with Sudan Tribune, Alwafi said their forces are in full control of the border town: “our troops are at the vicinity of the town but we do not want to expose the civilians to the fighting.”
The rebel official, however, said the fighting is still going on this evening with government troops rushing to retake the town from Kutum, which lies 120 kilometers northwest of El-Fasher.
Today the army said it lost 20 soldiers in clashes yesterday with JEM. The official spokesperson Osman Al-Agbash said they killed some 43 rebels.
The mission in a statement released today condemned the eruption of violence in the region following JEM’s attacks on Kornoi and Um Baru. The peacekeeping mission said Um Baru clashes injured some 53 civilians and forced hundreds to seek shelter around a UNAMID camp there.
It also said some 100 unarmed Sudanese soldiers and fighters of the pro-government SLA of Minni Minawi are taking refuge near the UNAMID compound in Um Baru. Several rebel officials claimed to have surrounded the compound.
Ahmed Hussein Adam, the official spokesperson of the rebel movement, said JEM regrets UNAMID statements on the reality of the situation on the ground. He said Saiki issued today his statement under the influence of the Sudanese authorities.
He further added that JEM respects the peacekeeping mission and sought to cooperate with it. But he deplored that despite a meeting held in Ndjamena earlier this year UNAMID did not cooperate with them in the interest of the Darfur people.
The head of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur had held talks in the Chadian capital with the chairman of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on ways to enhance joint cooperation to protect civilians in Darfur on February 5.
Rodolphe Adada, UNAMID top official, has condemned Sunday’s fighting, and urged all parties to the Darfur conflict to seek a peaceful resolution to their differences. He also voiced particular concern at the humanitarian impact of the fighting on civilians.
In El-Fasher, the government of the North Darfur state accused Chadian troops of taking part in the rebel attack.
The Sudanese government and the JEM are expected to meet next Wednesday in Doha on Wednesday to discuss the implementation of the goodwill agreement they signed. The rebel group wanted Khartoum to release of its members detained and sentenced to death by the government.
The UN estimates that some 300,000 died in the Darfur conflict and some 2.7 million are displaced from their homeland following attacks carried out by the army and its militias.
(ST)