SRF rebels claim fresh attack on Sudanese troops in South Kordofan

November 22, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – Rebel groups claimed a new attack on a Sudanese military convoy in South Kordofan state saying they inflicted heavy losses on the army, but the government denied the assault.

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) issued separate statements saying they ambushed a convoy of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in the evening of Thursday 21 November 2013.

A joint force of the SPLM-N and JEM attacked a convoy of the Sudanese troops from Abu Zabad heading to Al-Shiffar in South Kordofan; said SPLM-N spokesperson Arnu Ngutulu Lodi and JEM military spokesperson Badawi Musa Al-Sakin in two statements extended to Sudan Tribune on Friday.

Al-Sakin further said they captured a tank, a number of trucks and vehicles. He also said they captured some soldiers and militiamen without indicating their exact number.

On Sunday 17 November JEM rebels stormed Abu Zabad but the army repulsed the attack and killed JEM second deputy general commander, Mohamed Rahouma.

SAF spokesperson Al-Sawarmi Khaled denied the ambush of the military convoy on Thursday evening.

“We defeated the rebels out of Abu Zabad… and now there is no fighting,” he told the Agence France Presse.

Following the attack on Abu Zabad, the army and the rebels clashed in Kaling, located in the remote north of the troubled state. SAF and SPLM-N issued statements claiming the control of the area.

Earlier this month Sudanese president Omer Al-Bashir and the defence minister Abdelrahim Hussein pledged to defeat the rebels by the end of the year.

Since the establishment of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front, the allied rebel groups formed a joint command. JEM, SLM- AW and SLM MM moved troops to the South Kordofan to carry out joint operations.

(ST)