A new alliance of Darfur rebel commanders and political parties has attacked and seized a town in central Sudan, killing 12 people, including two women. Sudanese officials said on Tuesday that forces linked to the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), a rebel group from the war-torn region of Darfur, seized the town of Hamrat al-Sheikh in North Kordofan province on Monday. Faisal Hassan Ibrahim, a provincial governor, told reporters by telephone that eight policemen, two security men and two women were killed in the fighting, during which several public buildings were destroyed.The Sudanese government said in a statement that police and security forces backed by air support joined forces to repel the attack. A spokesman for the Sudan armed forces said: "Sudanese planes have been deployed and the aggression is continuing." Ibrahim said that the rebels attacked the town with 50 trucks armed with heavy weapons, some of which were posted outside Hamrat al-Sheikh to seal it off.