Sudanese troops renew attacks on Darfur rebels near Jebel Marra

September 18, 2009 (PARIS) – Sudanese army and government militias attacked this week twice rebel positions in Korma near Jebel Marra, said a commander from the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel Wahid Al Nur.

The SLM/A rebel commander Ibrahim Al-Hillu said the air and ground attack began on Thursday and continued on Friday adding that the thousands of civilians fled their villages to take shelter from the assailant troops near Jebel Marra.

Last week the SLA military spokesperson Abdal-Rahman Nimir said their fighters repelled attacks on Korma and Ain Siro on September 7. He added that they lost 11 fighters.

Nimir and Al-Hillu said the Chadian rebels were involved in the recent attacks adding that Khartoum intends to settle them near Jebel Marra far from the joint border with Chad.

In an effort to ease tension with Chad after Libyan intervention Sudanese authorities moved Chadian rebels from the border area to inside Darfur.

The recent wave of attacks on the positions held by Al-Nur’s troops aims put pressure of the only group which refuses to participate in the Doha peace process, the rebels say.

The SLM-AW says it would join the negotiating table when Khartoum disarms the militias in the restive region and repatriate the displaced population and refugees after paying their compensations.

Reached by telephone, the official spokesperson of the peacekeeping mission in Darfur Noureddine Mezni confirmed to Sudan Tribune they had been informed by the rebels about the attacks adding they attend the green light to assess the situation there.

“Indeed we have received information from the SLA/Abdel Wahid field commanders that they have been attacked by the Sudanese government in their area since last Thursday and we asked them access to Korma in order to verify and investigate the situation, he said; adding “we are ready to proceed at any time once we have the go ahead.”

The areas held by the SLA-AW, like Korma and Jebel Marra generally, constitute “a no go areas” for the UNAMID and AMIS before it since 2006 following the signing of Darfur peace agreement.

The Sudanese army during the six-year-long conflict failed to dislodge the SLA- AW from Jebel Marra, the highest region of the Sudan which inhabited by the Fur ethnic group. Since the start of the conflict many civilians who fear militias attack remain in the areas controlled by the rebels.