JEM rebels accuse Sudan’s army of air attacks in Darfur

April 5, 2010 (DOHA) — The rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) accused the Sudanese army of attacking its position in Darfur as the two sides are negotiating a ceasefire agreement in Doha, the venue of the peace talks.

Yesterday the Sudanese delegation in Doha accused JEM of seeking to hinder the conclusion of a ceasefire agreement while the rebels said they made some proposals aiming to achieve a genuine ceasefire on the ground citing Khartoum violation of the past ceasefire agreement signed in 2004.

“The Sudanese army is carrying out since yesterday an air attack in North and West Darfur states. The Antonov and Mig warplanes bombed our positions in Furawiyah area in North Darfur and Abu Gamrah as well as Jebel Moon in west Darfur,” said JEM official spokesperson Ahmed Hussein Adam, who was talking from Doha.

Ahmed further said around ten civilians are wounded in the neighbouring areas and dozens of livestock were killed during the different attacks. He further said the warplanes destroyed and buried water boreholes in the bombed areas.

The Sudan Liberation Movement faction led by Minni Minnawi said its troops clashed with JEM rebels in Abu Gamrah and Furawiyah areas yesterday. Zou Al-Noun Suleiman, the spokesperson of the former rebel group said they repelled JEM forces adding “we are ready to defend our positions”.

However, the spokesperson of the Sudan Armed Forces Alsoarmi Khalid Saad dismissed JEM’s accusations saying they are “completely inaccurate”.

“We did not conduct any attacks,” Sawarimi Khaled Saed said, adding “JEM is not supposed to have a presence in the areas where he says we attacked”.

“If that is the case, it would constitute a violation of the February agreement,” SAF spokesperson said.

Ahmed Hussein Adam said they filed a complaint to the mediation requesting explanations from the Sudanese government. “This is another prove of Khartoum’s lack of seriousness and bad intention to spoil efforts by the mediation to reach a ceasefire agreement,” he said.

Last February Sudanese government and JEM signed a framework agreement providing to finalize a ceasefire before to discuss eleven points aiming to conclude a final peace agreement ending the seven year conflict between the two parties.

Ahmed said they are studying a new draft of the ceasefire deal they received from the mediation today and would file their position very soon to the mediation.

(ST)