Sudan says captured Darfur rebel commanders are alive
May 24, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – North Darfur Governor Abdel Wahid Youssif Wednesday announced the arrival of rebel commanders captured during the recent clashes in North and East Darfur states to El-Fasher, before their transfer to Khartoum.
Following a meeting with a delegation from the peacekeeping mission UNAMID, Governor Youssef announced that the captured rebel commanders are in alive and in good shape, adding they would be transferred to Khartoum for trial soon.
“I can assure you I saw the prisoners and they are all in good condition … They arrived from the eastern localities of the (North Darfur) state and have no traces of torture,” he said.
The SLM-MM and SLM-TC say security officers arrived from Khartoum to interrogate their comrades and expressed fear for their life, adding they are under torture.
Nimer and the other commanders were arrested near Adoula in North Darfur as they were heading to Jebel Marra. Their force came from the far north of the state.
SLM-TC General Commander Mohamed Abdelsalam (aka Tarada) who led another force allegedly coming from South Sudan was killed in East Darfur. The rebels say he had been arrested alive and killed after.
The assailants meant to enter into Darfur and take the control of a number locations mainly in the strategic and mountainous Jebel Marra area which gives access to several states where they can carry out operations.
Commentators and analysts agree that the failure of the operation where a historical rebel commander is killed and others are detained is a big setback for the armed movements which worked during two years to prepare for this comeback operation in the region.
The commissioner of El Taweisha locality, south-east of El Fasher announced the capture of rebels feeling the battlefield in Adoula.
Commissioner Abu Bakr Ismail Adam further said “a large number of fugitives” will be tracked until their capture in what he described as an “overall cleanliness of rebel movements”.
However, the SLM-TC announced Wednesday the appointment of Saleh Osman as the new general commander of its forces to replace Tarada.
Osman who took part in the attack was not captured by the Sudanese government forces. He is among the first Jebel Marra sons to join the rebellion in 2003.
(ST)