Sudan’s defence minister says foreign militia attacked civilians in N. Darfur

January 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s defence minister Monday accused a foreign militia of carrying attack on several villages in North Darfur last December and denied the involvement of the government forces in the attack.

The Justice and Equality Movement-Dabajo (JEM-Dabajo) last month said militiamen riding over 40 vehicles on 2 December attacked several villages in Anka area, Kutum county in North Darfur and looted herds of cattle. At the time the former rebel group said the assailants came from Kutum.

In response to a question posed by a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Liberation and Justice Party (LJP), Siham Hassan; about this attack, the Defence Minister Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Ouf denied that the attack had been carried out by the government troops in the region.

Ibn ouf told the legislators that mercenaries coming from outside the country clashed with soldiers of the Sixth Infantry Division, stationed in Anka area. He said that the attack led to the death of one soldier and four others wounded.

He further said the army captured one four-wheel drive vehicle equipped with cannon and other weapons.

By the end of December 2015, the vice-President Hasabo Abdel Rahman visited the area of the attacks and declared in El-Fasher that his visit to the area with a big delegations proves that the security situation is normal there.

(ST)