100s feared dead in Darfur

2010-03-01 13:44

Khartoum - Hundreds of civilians are feared to have died in a surge of fighting between the Sudanese army and rebels in the turbulent Darfur region, a UN source said on Monday.

A spokesperson for Sudan's army denied any fighting was taking place in Darfur's mountainous Jabel Marra region and accused insurgents of harassing and attacking locals.

Reports of clashes throughout last week have marred Khartoum's announcement of a new peace push in the region and come just over a month ahead of national elections.

"We think that we have a mounting number of casualties ... The lower estimate is around 140. The higher estimate is closer to 400," said a UN source. He said the figures referred to civilian deaths.

The army spokesperson said: "There are no clashes between the Sudanese army and the forces of Abdel Wahed's movement."

Abdel Wahed Mohamed al-Nur is the leader of a branch of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army (SLA).

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir declared the war in Darfur over last Wednesday, announcing the release of 57 rebel captives after reaching an initial settlement with the Justice and Equality Movement, Darfur's most powerful rebel force.

Bashir's government signed an agreement in Doha on Tuesday committing Sudan to reaching a final peace deal with the JEM by March 15.

But the SLA and other rebels have rejected the deal, demanding that security be restored on the ground before talks begin.

- Reuters