Sudanese army captures Jebel Moon kills over hundred JEM rebels

May 15, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese army has killed over one hundred insurgents and captured a key rebel stronghold area in West Darfur in less than two weeks after the suspension of peace talks by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the army spokesperson said.

Since the signing of a framework agreement in Doha last February, the Sudanese government and JEM rebels traded accusations of violating a truce they had agreed to observe. On May 2, JEM unilaterally suspended its participation in the Doha peace process to protest “continuous aerial and ground assaults” by the Sudanese army.

“We liberated Jebel Moon from the Justice and Equality Movement, killed 108 rebels and captured 61 alive,” said Alsoarmi Khaled, the spokesperson of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF).

He also said they seized a number of trucks, vehicles and heavy weapons, adding that SAF troops will hunt down remnant rebels who are pulling out of Jebel Moon area.

Suleiman Sandal, the head of JEM intelligence unit, down played the capture of Jebel Moon saying they voluntarily evacuated the area following the breach of the ceasefire and daily bombing of their positions in the area.

“We decided a large-scale redeployment of our troops in the states of Darfur and Kordofan as a result of the breach of ceasefire by the government,” Sandal said in an interview with Sudan Tribune from Cairo today.

“We want to brief our supporters about the latest developments in Doha and our conditions to resume the peace process,” he added. “However this attack confirms that the government undermined the framework agreement,” he stressed.

The Joint Chief Mediator, Djibril Bassole on Friday appealed on the two parties to observe the cessation of hostilities in order to create a suitable atmosphere to resume the talks. He said planning to meet JEM leader after the arrival of the Sudanese delegation to Doha after one month of suspension due to electoral calendar in Sudan.

The seizure of Jebel Moon coincided with another battle between the two belligerents in the road of Nyala Al-Dha’ein on Thursday. The Sudanese government said the rebels attacked a convoy escorted by the police but Sandal said the police force hit their mobile unit in the village of Tartar near the highway.

Sandal said their troops defeated the police force composed of 150 vehicles and captured 23 vehicles full of weapons and ammunitions. Yesterday the Sudanese police, in its version, said they lost 27policemen and killed 33 rebels among them three leading JEM members.

The capture of Jebel Moon weeks before the rain season is seen as big blow for the rebel group. The mountainous area was serving as military headquarters of the rebel group after their redeployment from the areas near the Chadian border as result of the improvement of bilateral relations between Khartoum and Ndjamena.

“The scattering of JEM troops in different areas in Darfur during the rainy season will make it an easy target for the Sudanese warplanes,” said an international expert who preferred not to be mentioned.

Ahmed Hussein Adam, the official spokesperson of the rebel group, said they “are now closer to withdraw from the talks more than ever”.

However, analysts say the joint mediator can reverse the situation if he convinces the Sudanese government and JEM rebels to stop the fighting and sign a detailed ceasefire before to discuss any other agendas.

The Sudanese government delegation arrived Saturday to Doha where it is expected to meet on Sunday with the peace mediator and the Qatari officiels to discuss the agenda of negotiations with the Liberation and Justice Movement led by El-Tijani El-Sissi.

(ST)