Sudanese rebels claim killing 70 in battle with government troops
November 2, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army North said on Friday that it repulsed an advance by government troops on a village in South Kordofan state, killing “70 enemy combatants” in a lengthy battle.
Fighting in South Kordofan between the SPLM/A-N and the government has intensified since Sudan and South Sudan signed a security deal on 27 September dictating cessation of support to rebel groups in each other’s territories.
The rebels, who fought as part of South Sudan army in the past, forged a coalition in November last year with three rebel groups from Sudan’s western region of Darfur under the name Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), vowing joint military operations to topple the government.
In an e-mailed statement on Friday, SPLM-N spokesperson Arnu Loddi said that their forces managed to defeat and repulse an attempt by government forces to occupy the village of DalDako northeast of South Kordofan capital Kadugli.
The statement said that the defeated force consisted of 1500 soldiers from regular and allied paramilitary forces and was supported by 3 tanks, and 15 vehicles laden with different sorts of heavy machine guns.
According to the statement, the battle that lasted from 6 am to 7 pm local time on Thursday saw their forces killing “70 enemy combatants” while the rest of the government force ended up withdrawing to Kadugli. It also said 7 SPLM-N fighters were “martyred” and 17 sustained injuries.
The Sudanese army did not comment on the rebels’ claims. Media access to South Kordofan is heavily restricted by the government therefore reports of battles are difficult to verify independently.
Sudan says the security deal it signed with South Sudan binds Juba to cease its alleged support to the SPLM-N.
In a related development, SPLM-N’s secretary-general Yasir Arman issued a statement on Friday demanding that Sudan’s President Omer Al-Bashir and his ruling National Congress Party resign and “return power to the people” after their failure to protect the country from the Israeli airstrike that destroyed Al-Yarmook military factory in Khartoum last month.
Arman warned that Sudan’s relation with Iran is “jeopardizing the strategic interests” of Sudanese people and endangering the country’s national security. This “unhealthy alliance” between Khartoum and Iran, Arman added, is at the expense of Sudan’s relations with Arab gulf countries who are more important to Sudan than Iran.
“More than anything, Sudan needs peace with itself, reconciliation, democracy and to build a new future” The statement concluded.
(ST)