Abu Karshola ‘retaken by government’: Sudanese Defence Minister

27/05/2013 20:10

Sudanese Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Hussein announced via the Sudan News Agency on Monday that Government forces have ‘recaptured’ the strategic town of Abu Karshola in South Kordofan.A Spokesman for Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) told Radio Dabanga that while rebel forces have indeed tactically withdrawn from Abu Karshola, he denied that the town had been ‘retaken’.Abu Karshola has been in rebel hands since the end of April, and has been the scene of heavy fighting which has displaced at least 47,000 people according to the latest UN estimates.“We decided on a tactical withdrawal in order to protect the civilian population and to prevent the government from adopting a ‘scorched earth’ policy as they did in Darfur,” the SRF spokesman said.File photo: Sudanese Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Hussein

Sudanese Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Hussein announced via the Sudan News Agency on Monday that Government forces have ‘recaptured’ the strategic town of Abu Karshola in South Kordofan.

A Spokesman for Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) told Radio Dabanga that while rebel forces have indeed tactically withdrawn from Abu Karshola, he denied that the town had been ‘retaken’.

Abu Karshola has been in rebel hands since the end of April, and has been the scene of heavy fighting which has displaced at least 47,000 people according to the latest UN estimates.

“We decided on a tactical withdrawal in order to protect the civilian population and to prevent the government from adopting a ‘scorched earth’ policy as they did in Darfur,” the SRF spokesman said.

File photo: Sudanese Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Hussein