Chad carried out new air raid in Darfur – Sudan

July 16, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — Chad’s warplanes on Thursday bombed positions inside the Sudanese territory in Western Darfur state, an army official said today.

Thursday’s attacks come two months after first air raids conducted by the Chadian army against the positions of the Chadian rebel in the troubled region. The Chadian President said at the time “We used our right of hot pursuit and the use of this right will continue.”

The Sudan backed Chadian rebels launched an offensive against the position of troops loyal to Ndjamena on May 4 but were forced by the Chadian army to regain the Western Sudan, where they are based.

Chadian warplanes violated the Sudanese territory and launched air attack near the area of Um Dukhun in West Darfur, said Lt. General Abdel-Gadir Mohamed Nasr, Chairman of the Staff of the Sudan Armed Forces.

He further said the attack was carried out by two aircraft Sukhoi near Um Dukhun area in West Darfur state. In a statement to the pro-government website SMC, he also pointed out that there were no causalities.

He stressed the readiness of the Sudanese armed forces to repel any air or ground attack by the Chadian forces saying “the army is ready and awaiting instructions to respond.”

Last May the army stated the political leadership had prevented it from riposting to the Chadian raids. But after statements by Chadian officials on further incursions, the Sudanese army stated they had the green light to crush any new Chadian attack.

Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir returned today from Egypt where he was attending the Non Aligned Movement meeting.

In a statement released in Khartoum, the Chadian rebel Union of Forces of Resistance (UFR) accused the Chadian air force of attacking two villages in the southeastern Chadian region of Tissi near the Sudanese border on Thursday morning.

“This attack has caused killing of many civilians and resulted in the wounding of many others,” said a statement issued by UFR secretary Adoum Yacoub Kougou.

Last week the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs said there were efforts to hold a summit between the Sudanese and Chadian presidents in Libya and that the date of this meeting would be determined after consultations with the Libyan leadership.

However different reports mention the deterioration of bilateral relations between Chad and Libya since Tripoli opposition to condemn Sudan at the Security Council for its involvement in the May’s attack by the Chadian rebels.

The two neighboring countries signed reconciliation and normalization agreements but failed to implement it. The conflict with Chad is seen as an extension of the war in Darfur. The international community works to end it as part of its efforts to end the inter-Sudanese conflict.

(ST)