Darfur rebels say shot down two helicopters in Jebel Marra as army deny
March 28, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The rebel Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur (SLM-AW) said today they shot down two helicopters in Jebel Marra, South Darfur, however the Sudanese army denied the rebel claim saying it was a technical failure.
Sudanese army had intensified air and ground attacks on the positions of SLM-AW who remains the sole rebel group out of the peace process. Thousands of civilians fled the area seeking humanitarian assistance in other parts of the restive region.
“Our troops near Kaloking, 18 klm from Kass in southern west area of Jebel Marra, South Darfur State, opened fire on four military helicopters yesterday Saturday. We successfully shot two one crashed near Mray Genkiah, north of Kass and the other near Toringa south of Kass.”
Speaking by Satellite telephone to Sudan Tribune from the region commander Al-Sadiq Rekero added the two choppers burnt totally.
He said they were looking for the pilots as the two planes crashed at 15 kilometers from the area where they shot the choppers.
The Justice and Equality Movement and the Liberation and Justice Movement signed ceasefire agreements with the government respectively in February and March in Doha, venue of the peace talks to end the seven year conflict.
In Khartoum the Sudanese army spokesperson Al-Sawarmi Khalid Sa’ad confirmed the incident but said they two planes crashed for technical malfunction.
The military official said the first helicopter fell due to technical failure as it was flying at low altitude while the second, which landed to rescue the crew of the first, caught fire after sand got into the engine, he said in a short statement to the official SUNA.
The hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur did not release any statement about the incident.
The Sudanese warplanes participate regularly in attacks on rebel positions in Darfur violating U.N. Security Council resolutions banning offensive flying.
(ST)