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SLM-Minnawi accuses Sudan of killing captured rebels but Hametti denies

RSF commander Hametti greets his fighters in Wadi Hawar, North Darfur after defeating assailant rebels on 23 May 2017 (ST Photo)
RSF commander Hametti greets his fighters in Wadi Hawar, North Darfur after defeating assailant rebels on 23 May 2017 (ST Photo)

May 23, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) has accused the Sudanese government forces of killing rebel fighters captured following recent clashes in North and East Darfur, but the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) denied the claim.

The Sudanese army and the RSF militiamen clashed during four days from 19 to 22 with the SLM-MM and the SLM Transitional Council (SLM-TC) in North and East Darfur. The government army killed several leading rebel commanders and arrested the SLM-TC leader and other commanders.

Speaking to his troops in Wadi Hawar, North Darfur, on Tuesday, RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, (aka Hametti) denied claims the killing or mistreatment of rebels arrested in the recent fighting.

He went further to accuse the SLM-MM of circulating reports saying the RSF killed the Zaghawa rebel fighters as “a lie”.

“More than 50 officers of different military ranks in the RSF are Zaghawa and participated in all the battles and hunted the rebels fleeing from the field for more than thirty kilometres,” he stressed.

This is the first time a Sudanese official admits the capture of rebels during the recent clashes even he didn’t explicitly mention the name of SLM-TC leader Nimr Abdel-Rahman, the military spokesperson Ahmed Hussein Mustafa (Adrop) and the Chief of Staff, Major General Jumaa Mundi Issa”.

The two groups said the leading members have been captured on Monday in Adoula North Darfur and were taken to an unknown destination.

The Sudanese army didn’t issue any statement on the arrest of the rebel leader and other commanders. Observers say they should be under interrogation by the military intelligence before to announce their release.

The government accused Egypt and South Sudan of backing the rebels.

Hametti also mentioned a high military coordination with Chad without further details.

The President Idris Deby arrived in Khartoum following the attack on Monday and held a meeting with President Omer al-Bashir on the rebel military operation. He returned to Ndjamena without making any statement to the press.

SRF militiamen commander Abdallah Juma said the battle of Wadi Hawar began at 7:30 pm and continued for 45 minutes, during which they captured six armoured vehicles, 35 Land Cruiser four-wheel-drive vehicles and destroyed other 25 Land Cruiser vehicles.

(ST)

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