Darfur rebels accuse Sudanese army of attacking their positions in Jebel Marra

August 14, 2010 (KHARTOUM ) – A rebel group accused the Sudanese army on Saturday of carrying out a series of attacks against their positions in Jebel Marra South Darfur since last week, adding that they expect new assaults over the coming days.

Sudanese troops attacked the positions of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur on August 9 in the mountainous area of Jebel Marra and continue to carry out assaults on daily basis, a rebel commander told Sudan Tribune today.

“Troops transported by 50 vehicles attacked our positions in Marra, Bombonah and Singo in eastern Jebel Marra,” said Saleh Abdelrahman Tibin who was speaking by satellite telephone with the Sudan Tribune.

He further said warplanes bomb their positions on daily basis but they repelled the ground forces to Katur, adding they expect further attacks during the upcoming days.

“Following their withdrawal we found the bodies of nine soldiers and we captured 13,” Tibin said. Asked about their casualties, the rebel commander said they lost one fighter.

The governor of South Darfur accused the rebel SLM of instigating recent clashes in Kalma camp near Nyala against IDPs supporting the peace talks in Doha.

But the group denied the accusation saying pro-government armed men infiltrated the camp and attacked the IPDs supportive to the peace process.

Commander Tibin said the bombing by Sudanese army planes today morning on the three villages resulted in the death of two children and wounded two women.

He also said they captured four vehicles and destroyed six others during the clashes, which began August 9.

A spokesperson for the Sudan Armed Forces was not reachable, but the army routinely denies attacking this area, instead stating that it controls the region.

On August 9, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urged Darfur’s main rebel groups, the Justice and Equality Movement and the SLM-AW to cease hostilities and join the ongoing efforts in Doha to end the seven year conflict.

The government said intending to achieve peace from within Sudan by involving local authorities and IDPs representatives but the rebel groups slammed the move saying Khartoum seeks to dialogue with its self.

The conflict in Darfur erupted in February 2003 when the SLA and JEM took up arms against the government, accusing it of supporting armed militias, confiscating their land and leaving the area underdeveloped and marginalised.

(ST)