Sudanese army report fresh clashes with Darfur rebels near Libyan border

September 20, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese army clashed today with the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in the remote area of North Darfur near the triangle border with Chad and Libya.

Sudanese army deployed troops along the border with Libya while the Sudan’s supported fighters of the opposition National Transitional Council (NTC) took the control of the country and Gaddafi supporters fled to neighbouring countries.

JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim returned recently to Darfur region despite the presence of troops throughout the boundary and the joint Chad Sudan patrols from the other side.

Alsoarmi Khaled, spokesperson of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in a press statement put out Tuesday said that the army defeated near the border a small group of JEM fighters and captured two trunks loaded with fuel, weapons and ammunition looted from Libya.

The Sudanese military spokesperson did not mention any human causalities among the government army but he underlined that a rebel was killed in the clashes.

Peace talks between the government and the rebel group are stalled as JEM asks to open the Doha Darfur Peace Document (DDPD) for discussion while Khartoum offers only negotiations on the integration of rebel fighters and their participation in the national and regional governments.

The rebel group was engaged in talks with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) and the two factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) on an alliance to overthrow the regime. However the parties failed to yield a deal as the issue of secular state remain under discussion.

JEM spokesperson Gibreel Adam Bilal condemned statements made by the First Vice President Ali Osman Taha in al-Damazin where he called to “purify” the Blue Nile of SPLM-N rebels.

Gibreel accused the Sudanese government of continuing the genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity already committed in Darfur.

He further said that Taha’s call in al-Damazin is similar to another call he launched in Darfur in 2003 before to implement its policy of genocide which led to the death of over 300,000 people according to the UN agencies.

(ST)