Darfur rebels deny police killings that led to state of emergency

CAIRO, Nov 24 (AFP) — The rebel Sudan Liberation Movement denied Wednesday the killing of policemen in the strife-torn Darfur region that led to the declaration of a state of emergency, instead blaming Khartoum for the deaths.

Sudan Liberation Army rebels gather for a meeting with AU ceasefire monitors at Gellab, a village in the desert east of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state on November 8, 2004. (Reuters).

“The SLM denies that its army launched attacks on (government) positions in the state of North Darfur and affirms that information provided by Khartoum is totally erroneous,” a statement said.

State Governor Osman Yusuf Kibir declared a state of emergency and a curfew across North Darfur on Monday in the wake of “a grave military escalation by the rebels.”

Rebels had allegedly killed 21 policemen and an unknown number of civilians in attacks, the interior ministry said.

Kibir said rebels of the SLM and the Justice and Equality Movement had violated a ceasefire 19 times in less than two weeks, despite signing a security protocol in Abuja on November 9.

Both sides in the 21-month-old Darfur conflict have repeatedly accused the other of violating the ceasefire.

“The SLM reaffirms its engagement in respecting the ceasefire and all agreements made with the Sudanese government,” said the rebel statement.

The rebels said the government had used its proxy Janjaweed militia to launch the attacks, “making them look like SLA members”.

The Janjaweed had attacked refugee camps in North and South Darfur, the SLM said, accusing them of killing policemen and displaced persons.

In February 2003, rebels launched an insurrection to protest at what they allege is the political and economic marginalisation of black Africans by the Arab-led government.

Khartoum’s response was to unleash the Arab Janjaweed, who have been blamed by Western officials and aid workers for killings, rape and widespread violations of human rights.

Since the fighting began more than 70,000 people have been killed or have died from hunger and disease in the area, according to the United Nations, and another 1.5 million displaced.

The United Nations has described the situation in Darfur as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, while the United States has accused Khartoum of carrying out “genocide” through its proxy militias.