JEM rebels say moving towards the Sudanese capital
December 22, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Thursday said their fighters have reached Kordofan region in their way to the Sudanese capital in order to topple the ruling regime.
Since, the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) intensified their attacks on the positions of the SPLM-N combatants and retook the control of the Blue Nile while it assaulted a strategic stronghold position in the contested area of Jau on the Sudan-South Sudan border.
In Darfur, the situation remained calm as there are no substantial clashes between the government forces and the rebels. JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim returned to Darfur from Libya last September but SAF troops keep monitoring his troops in a remote area in North Darfur with the support of the Chadian army.
From London JEM spokesperson Gibreel Adam Bilal, told Sudan Tribune that JEM rebels have reached North Kordofan state which borders North Darfur and they are heading towards the Sudanese capital in a bid to topple the regime.
The rebel spokesperson stressed are nearby El Nahud in North Kordofan.
“Of course, regime change implies to control Khartoum,” he emphasized.
Rebel groups from the different peripheral regions in Sudan say the fight should now take place in the Sudanese capital which is always preserved and not affected by the war like their regions where the civilians are exposed to the impact of the conflict.
In May 2008, the rebel group attacked the Sudanese capital but JEM fighters who were well equipped missed their targets as many of their fighters arrived for the first time in Khartoum.
Khartoum, at the time, accused Chad and Libya of arming the rebel group.
Asked about the participation of the other rebel groups in this attack, Gibreel said they are coordinating with Kaudi alliance members without elaborating.
“The overthrow of the regime will be achieved through the political and military efforts of all the Sudanese resistance forces.” He said.
On the other hand, the Sudanese army today dismissed claims that a number of Sudanese officers defected from SAF and joined the ranks of JEM rebels.
A rebel statament said yesterday that a company composed of 103 officers and soldiers headed by Lieutenant Youssef Fadl Ibrahim al-Mawla joined the rebel movement. But the Sudanese army spokesperson al-Sawarmi Khaled denied the allegation.
Swarmi said that Youssef was sacked from the army and sentenced to ten years of imprisonment by a military court for financial scams and breach of trust in January 2010. But he escaped the prison to join the rebels alone, the military spokesperson added.
(ST)