[An Nahar] Sustained fighting in Sudan's South Kordofan state has killed several dozen government troops and five rebels, the faceless myrmidons claimed on Sunday after the army said it repulsed them.The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) said "fighting is still continuing inside Al Moreib," a village in Rashad district of northeastern South Kordofan.
"So far from enemy side 61 men were killed and large numbers maimed," the SPLM-N said. "We lost five deaders and seven others are slightly injured."
The rebels first reported a battle in Al Moreib on Friday, when they accused the government of attacking and looting the area. Two other Rashad-area villages had earlier been attacked by government soldiers and militia, they said.
Late on Saturday the army said it had "clashed with the rebels and drove them outside the area" where they had been "terrorizing and intimidating" residents.
It said one soldier and more than two dozen rebels were killed.
Access to the region is restricted, making verification of casualty claims difficult.
Ethnic minority faceless myrmidons of the SPLM-N have been fighting in South Kordofan since June last year and in Blue Nile state since September.