JEM rebels retract statement on Apache fall in Darfur

June 4, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Darfur rebel group retracted a statement claiming it had downed a Sudanese army Apache helicopter on Wednesday 2 May near South Darfur capital town of Nyala killing five of its crew.

“The Apache which is a four-blade and twin-engine attack helicopter has a tandem cockpit for a crew of two,” said a military expert in an email sent to Sudan Tribune this week. He scoffed at the rebels’ statement saying they killed 5 of its crew.

“JEM apologizes for stating it had shot down an Apache Helicopter three days ago. The Helicopter shot down was a different make and not an Apache as we erroneously reported,” said JEM military spokesperson Ali Alwafi in a statement released on Friday.

The Sudanese army spokesperson Alsoarmi Khaled Saad also cancelled rebels’ statement saying the Sudan Armed Forces did not lose a plane since more than two months.

JEM rebels suspended their participation in the peace process hosted by the Gulf country of Qatar accusing the government of breaching a cessation of hostilities agreement signed last February. But Khartoum said JEM is seeking to exclude other rebels from the negotiating table.

However, the mediation extended an invitation to the rebel group to resume peace talks on Sunday, but JEM asks to return its leader Khalil Ibrahim to Darfur after the ban imposed by Ndjamena preventing him from crossing to Darfur through Chad.

The clashes between the rebel group and the Sudanese army continue in Darfur and the two parties issue conflicting statements.

(ST)