Rebel fighters raid villages in North Darfur: report

KHARTOUM, Sept 11 (AFP) — Rebel fighters have raided villages in North Darfur, attacked police stations and looted property, the independent Al-Hayat daily reported Saturday.

Some 30 rebels, carrying light arms and traveling in two vehicles, attacked five villages in the district of Um Kaddadah “in violation of the ceasefire agreement.”

That was a reference to the ceasefire deal signed in April by the Sudanese government and rebels of the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement.

The paper added that the rebels burned down two police stations in the area, ransacked a local water-pumping facility and Zakat (Islamic tax) offices and stole three private vehicles and communications equipment.

It said the rebels also searched the houses of local officials before fleeing.

The report did did not say which of the two main rebel groups was allegedly responsible for the attacks.

It was also not immediately clear when the alleged incidents took place.

Both the government and rebels regularly accuse each other of violating the truce.

Military conflict between government forces and SLA and JEM rebels erupted in February 2003, amid accusations by the rebels that the regime in Khartoum had neglected their region.

Up to 50,000 people have died in the conflict, more than a million have been displaced from their homes and an estimated 180,000 forced to flee into neighboring Chad, according to the United Nations.