Ninety-nine die in central Sudan clashes with Darfur rebels: officials

KHARTOUM, Dec 29 (AFP) — Recent clashes between pro-government forces and rebels from the war-torn Darfur region have left 99 people dead, including 62 members of the Popular Defense Forces and 21 rebel fighters, Sudanese officials said Wednesday.

Rebels from the Sudan Liberation Army.

Rebels attacked a town Monday in Western Kordofan state, in central Sudan, in a fresh foray outside their region, where tens of thousands have died in 22-months of conflict between government forces and ethnic minority rebels.

“In the context of the repeated violations by the Darfur rebels”, the town of Ghibaish was a target of “a treacherous attack by the rebels,” the interior ministry claimed in a statement in the official Al-Anbaa daily.

It was referring to an April ceasefire agreement the government signed with the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement and a security protocol with the same groups in November.

The statement said the army, the Popular Defense Forces and civilians fought back, killing 21 rebels, destroying four of their vehicles and seizing four others, complete with weapons.

Seven soldiers, two policemen and a number of civilians and members of the Popular Defense Forces died in the battle, said the ministry, which added that the rebels vandalized civilian property before retreating.

More soldiers were killed in a separate attack by rebels Monday on the town of Al-Majrour, also in Western Kordofan, said the ministry, without providing further details.

Local authorities said 62 members of the Popular Defense Forces and seven civilians were killed in the battles.

The independent Akhbar Al-Youm quoted the governor of Western Kordofan as saying the security situation in the state was “stable and quiet”, but that all forces had been placed on high alert following the attack.