JEM rebels attack North Kordofan town
November 17, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese rebel group Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) has struck the town of Abu Zabad in North Kordofan state, the rebels and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) said on Sunday.
While SAF’s spokesperson, Al-Sawarmi Khaled Saad, accused the attackers of targeting civilians and looting properties, a spokesperson for JEM, Badawi Musa Al-Sakin, accused SAF of bombing civilians.
Al-Sawarmi announced the killing of the commander of the attacking force amid reports that five people were killed including two police officers and 35 others wounded.
Al-Sakin, for his part, said that dozens of SAF’s soldiers were killed in the attack including Captain Adam Mohamed Mahoula and First Lieutenant, Ali Bashar Isawi, adding that the deputy commander of SAF Colonel Ahmed Barakt Allah was seriously injured.
The leader of JEM, Jibreel Ibrahim Mohamed, has mourned in a statement he issued on Sunday the second deputy to JEM’s Commander-in-Chief, Mohamed Rahouma, affirming his killing during the attack on Abu Zabad.
Rahouma was known for his skilled military tactics. His death is a big loss for the rebel group, rebel sources say.
Al-Sakin said that their troops attacked Abu Zabad following SAF’s mobilisation of forces in the town, stressing that they seized a large number of government vehicles, heavy and light weapons, and ammunition and military supplies.
He added that their troops withdrew from the town after eight hours, accusing the government of deliberate aerial targeting of civilians.
Al-Sawarmi on Sunday described JEM’s attack on Abu Zabad as “suicidal”, saying that their aim was “to loot fuel and food materials from the market”.
He added that SAF destroyed 18 armed vehicles and seized several weapons and pointed out that SAF is still pursuing attackers who fled the town in different directions, stressing that the situation in the town is under control.
He further said that attackers targeted innocent civilians and looted their properties, stressing SAF’s readiness to deal with those who dare to tamper with the destiny of the Sudanese people.
The National Umma Party, in a statement issued about the attack on Sunday said that JEM forces attacked the town at 7am on Sunday and asked residents to stay in their homes while they set the police headquarters and the locality building on fire and looted the market.
Abu Zabad is about 60 kilometres from Dilling town in South Kordofan state, where JEM rebels and fighters from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLM-N) last Tuesday claimed their first major attack of the summer season.
In the same context, the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) media secretary, Yasser Youssef, described the attack on Abu Zabad as a failed attempt and announced in press statements on Sunday their support for SAF and its plans to end rebellion during the summer season.
He called upon the Sudanese people to continue their support for SAF in order to achieve the national program, defeat the rebels, and liberate the land.
Last week, the Sudanese defence minister, Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein, announced the beginning of the summer military operations which aims to end rebellion in Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile.
Hussein said that troops are heading towards the military operations zones, asserting that this offensive shall witness the end of rebellion.
He affirmed the completion of preparations, plans and the simultaneous mechanical movement in the various battlefronts.
“We made huge and excellent preparations and our troops are moving to end the rebellion once and for good”, Hussein said.
(ST)