25 Sudan soldiers killed in joint N. Darfur rebel offensive -sources

A joint offensive of two Darfur rebel groups against the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in North Darfur left more than 25 government soldiers dead on Wednesday, both rebel movements say. The battle took place on the road connecting Tawila and El Fasher in the area of Kuim, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) military spokesman told Radio Dabanga.He added that several SAF-soldiers were captured, others fled in the direction of El Fasher and some ran in different directions. Witnesses on the ground between El Fasher and Tawila confirmed the occurrence of the battle to Radio Dabanga. JEM spokesman Badawi Mosa Al-Sakinand reported that two Land Cruisers mounted with weapons that belong to Khartoum were seized in the clashes and other vehicles were destroyed. “All militias operating under the umbrella of the National Congress Party’s (NCP) troops will suffer consequences for following government’s directives”, the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minawi (SLM-MM) that also took part in the combat warned via Radio Dabanga. Adam Saleh Abkar, SLM-MM military spokesman, is urging the Sudanese people not to “back the NCP because the regime will use anyone as human shields for its own purposes”. He declared that all factions of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition of Sudanese rebel groups, will deal “firmly and seriously” with each one of the militias supporting the NCP. Radio Dabanga could not contact the SAF for comments.

A joint offensive of two Darfur rebel groups against the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in North Darfur left more than 25 government soldiers dead on Wednesday, both rebel movements say.

The battle took place on the road connecting Tawila and El Fasher in the area of Kuim, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) military spokesman told Radio Dabanga.

He added that several SAF-soldiers were captured, others fled in the direction of El Fasher and some ran in different directions.

Witnesses on the ground between El Fasher and Tawila confirmed the occurrence of the battle to Radio Dabanga.

JEM spokesman Badawi Mosa Al-Sakinand reported that two Land Cruisers mounted with weapons that belong to Khartoum were seized in the clashes and other vehicles were destroyed.

“All militias operating under the umbrella of the National Congress Party’s (NCP) troops will suffer consequences for following government’s directives”, the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minawi (SLM-MM) that also took part in the combat warned via Radio Dabanga.

Adam Saleh Abkar, SLM-MM military spokesman, is urging the Sudanese people not to “back the NCP because the regime will use anyone as human shields for its own purposes”.

He declared that all factions of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition of Sudanese rebel groups, will deal “firmly and seriously” with each one of the militias supporting the NCP.

Radio Dabanga could not contact the SAF for comments.