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| Africa Horn |
| Sudanese army attacks Darfuris who signed peace deal |
| 2008-09-15 |
| Sudanese armed forces have attacked the only Darfur rebel group to have signed a 2006 peace deal, killing four ex-rebels and threatening to end a two-year alliance, their leader said on Sunday. Minni Minnawi, a leader of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction turned presidential advisor after signing the peace deal with Khartoum, said his forces came under attack at their base at Kolge in the east Jebel Marra region. "We want to respect the peace process but we are fighting in self-defense," Minnawi said, speaking by satellite telephone from the base in the war-ravaged western Sudanese region. "They attacked us with Antonov aircraft, helicopters and tanks," he added, accusing the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) of killing off the peace process. "If the peace agreement is over, it is over from one side - the NCP side," he said. Four of his troops were killed and 16 wounded, while the ex-rebels captured 20 government vehicles, he said. Government forces have now returned to Al-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, he added. Minnawi returned to Darfur three months ago, citing frustration with the poor implementation of the peace agreement. "This was definitely a deliberate attack on our forces, because our base is very well known," said Mohammad Bashir, who heads Minnawi's office at the presidential palace in Khartoum. "I am extremely surprised that the government has done this, but the government forces have now been chased back to Al-Fasher." Elsewhere in Darfur, rebel fighters accused government forces on Sunday of burning three villages and destroying a health clinic in north Darfur during heavy clashes involving more than 100 vehicles. Rebels said fierce fighting erupted on Friday southwest of Al-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state. "The fighting was very heavy, with government soldiers and militia attacking," said Abu Bakr Kadu, a senior commander with the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)-Unity faction. "There was fighting late on Saturday, but we are behind them and shooting now," Kadu said, speaking by satellite telephone from near to the battlefield. "There was very bad damage to the villages in the bombing, and in Khazan Tungur village the hospital was destroyed." Kadu said the center was run by Partner Aid International (PAI), a European aid agency, which opened a health clinic in the village earlier this year. |
| Posted by:Fred |