Darfur rebels say in total control of Jebel Marra positions

September 20, 2009 (PARIS) – Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur dismissed statements by Sudanese army over the control of its positions near Jebel Marra. The rebel group further urged Khartoum to disarm its militias if it seeks genuine peace process.

The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) released today a statement saying it cleared the area of Korma, 70 kilometers northwest of El-Fashir, from the SLM-AW troops.

The army further said the rebels turned to be “looting gangs intimidating people and attacking commercial convoys as well as forcing the displaced persons remain in camps.”

Speaking to Sudan Tribune, Abdel Wahid Al-Nur, denied SAF statements on the control of Korma. He said his troops repulsed the assailant troops and killed dozens of them. He also said they captured many vehicles and weapons as well as ammunitions.

“The Sudanese officials including president Al-Bashir used to issue such statements since the beginning of our struggle in 2003. Every year they repeat the same discourse but we are still there,” he said.

He further said that “the government knows well how much it is difficult to crash militarily the deeply rooted SLM.” Adding, the popular support “would allow us to resist” to such assaults.

The Sudanese army carried out since the beginning of this month several attacks on Al-Nur troops in Ain Sirro and Korma, in eastern Jebel Marra, the highest region of the Sudan which inhabited by the Fur ethnic group.

Yesterday Hussein Abu Sharati, spokesperson of Darfur IDPs said SAF attacks on Thursday and Friday killed 18 civilians. He further accused the government backed militias of attacking ten villages in the area killing the unarmed villagers.

Al-Nur said such attacks would not end the struggle of Darfurians for their rights and warned they are ready to resist for long time as long as the government rejects their demands.

He also urged the government to turn its war machinery against the militias and to disarm them if it is serious about peace in the restive region.

Al-Nur further stressed that such attacks would not pressurize them to take part in the negotiating table.

The rebel leader also expressed the readiness of his movement to cooperate with any peace lover who shows willingness to provide security to the civilians in Darfur.

He also urged the international community to condemn the attacks on the civilians brushing off government statements about voluntary return of the IDPs.

Yesterday in a message on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir urged the Darfur rebels to drop arms and join the peace talks in the Arab Gulf state of Qatar.

The SLM-AW which is believed to have poplar support among the IDPs and refugees in Chad refuses to participate in the current peace process in Doha asking the Sudanese government to disarm its militias and to organize the return if the IDPs to their homeland.

The group also accuses the government of supporting settlement of Arab tribes from Chad in the lands of IDPs and refugees and demands to expel them.

(ST)