Darfur rebels report fresh clashes with Sudanese troops

September 6, 2012 (KHARTOUM) — The rebel Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur (SLM-AW) say they have repelled an attack by the Sudan Armed Forces on Thursday in West Darfur and captured 32 vehicles.

Nimir Abdel Rahman, SLM-AW spokesperson, told Sudan Tribune that government troops riding about 70 vehicles attacked their positions in Fanga Suk located in the remote northern part of West Darfur State.

“Our fighters inflected heavy losses on the government forces and we seized 32 vehicles equipped with machine guns and important quantities of ammunitions,” Nimir said.

He added that the SAF assailants came from El Fashir, which is 80 km from Fanga Suk. He said that two Antonov airplanes bombarded their positions before the arrival of SAF troops.

The rebel official said the attack coincides with the resumption of talks in Addis Ababa to end the South Kordofan conflict saying that Khartoum usually intensifies its attacks while the attention is focused on other events.

“This is why we are against partial negotiations and we call for a comprehensive solution to settle all the ongoing conflicts in Sudan. But this holistic solution should lead to change the existing regime,” he said.

Nimir on the other hand urged the international community to pressure Khartoum on the provide security for civilians adding that with the failure of the joint African Union / United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to protect civilians they might be forced to intervene if attacks, like the ones of Kutum, against civilians are repeated in other towns.

(ST)