SLM-AW says Sudan army claim of Jebel Marra retake ‘false’, criticizes UNAMID
March 8, 2010 (PARIS) – The Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) headed by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur described as “false” the claims by the Sudanese army that they have control of the strategic Jebel Marra plateau in Darfur.
“There are still occasional clashes, which is normal, but they have no bearing on the overall situation in that sector” Khaled said.
However, Al-Nur speaking by phone with Sudan Tribune from Paris said that the Sudanese army “is incapable” of occupying Jebel Marra.
“Even if they bring fifty times the forces they currently have it is impossible that they can take it. This is just a lie and an attempt by the regime to cover their defeat” Al-Nur said.
“When Bashir was announcing in El-Fasher that war is over, his army went on a military offensive using planes to carry out heavy bombardment of civilians causing mass displacement of thousands of families. That the only thing the army is good at doing, targeting the civilians” he added.
The army had previously denied it was fighting with Darfur rebels in Jebel Marra, but on Monday Khaled said they had clashed there with “small criminal gangs blocking roads.”
The SLM chief blasted the African Union – United Nations peacekeepers (UNAMID) accusing them of taking sides with the Sudanese government to push him into joining “peace agreements like Abuja”.
“They are unable to protect civilians nor are they writing reports to document what happened so what exactly are they doing?” he questioned.
UNAMID received its share of criticism from the government side after the army spokesperson said that the peacekeepers had ignored advice not to travel to Deribat in the Jebel Marra area last week.
“UNAMID asked for permission to go from the town of Kass (its base in south Darfur) to Deribat,” Khaled said.
“The south Darfur security committee had already told them not to go, and then later advised them to take the route through Al-Mellam, but they went via Kara where they were ambushed by rebels belonging to an SLA group. The attackers seized seven Land Cruiser four-by-fours… 53 Kalashnikov assault rifles and 10 communications devices,” the spokesman added.
He questioned how UNAMID lost its vehicles, weapons, money and communications equipment without a fight.
“How a 61-man force with 3 vehicles of soldiers — how could they hand over all these things without any battle or any exchange of fire? This contradicts totally with military logic,” the spokesman said.
Al-Nur denied that his forces ambushed the peacekeepers stressing that such acts “go against the SLA principles”.
The joint force, known as UNAMID, will be the world’s largest U.N.-funded peacekeeping mission at its full strength of 26,000, but has struggled to gain the trust of all sides of Darfur’s seven-year conflict.
In a related issue Al-Nur said that tribal fighting erupted in Zalengi between the Jammala and Bagara accusing the government of fueling the clashes.
“I call on our brothers on both sides to join hands with and direct their arms against the regime rather than against each other. The government could care less about the people of Darfur whether they be Arab or Zurga” he said.
Last week similar clashes erupted in West Darfur between the Misseriya and Nuwayba tribes killing scores of people.
The United Nations estimates Darfur’s revolt has claimed 300,000 lives and forced more than 2 million to flee their homes since it began in 2003 when insurgents took up arms accusing central government of neglecting the remote region.
(ST)