Sudan’s Kordofan state on alert after raid by Darfur rebels
KHARTOUM, Sept 24 (AFP) — Authorities in Sudan’s West Kordofan state have raised the state of alert there following an alleged foray into the region by Darfur rebels, the official Sudan News Agency reported Friday.
This coincided with a visit to the town of Ghibaish by several senior government officials, including army chief of staff Lieutenant General Abbas Arabi and Minister of State for the Interior Ahmed Mohammed Haroun.
The interior ministry claimed Thursday rebels raided Ghibaish, attacking a police station, security offices, and a market and, looting property in the process.
It added that the raid, apparently the first foray by Darfur rebels outside their own territory, left eight civilians dead.
SUNA said Arabi and Haroun, accompanied by state officials, including state governor Suleiman Suleiman al-Safie, inspected the destruction and addressed a crowd in the town.
Safie was quoted as assuring people about the “capacity of the government to defend the state” and warning the rebels against carrying their war to Kordofan.
He added that his administration placed absolute “priority on the security of the state.”
Haroun said the government had ordered the deployment of additional numbers of armed forces, police and security in the region and that the situation was returning to normal.
A representative of the Popular Defense Forces also addressed the gathering, saying his forces were prepared and only waiting “to answer the call.”
The interior ministry did not say which of the two rebel groups operating in Darfur was allegedly responsible for the attack, which could not be independently verified.
If confirmed, this would be the first time rebels have taken their war with the government outside of Darfur since the conflict erupted in February 2003.
The United Nations estimates that between 30,000 and 50,000 people have died in the conflict that pits government forces against two main rebel groups — the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement.