Darfur rebels ready to attack
2007-12-20 22:24
Khartoum - Darfur rebels threatened to attack West Darfur's state capital El-Geneina on Thursday and told aid workers to stay in their compounds and away from government military bases.
Sudan's army was not immediately available to comment on the
threat which came in the middle of the Muslim Eid al-Adha
holiday.
The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) claimed victory in
clashes with the army in the past week, taking 29 prisoners.
Khartoum confirmed the clashes but denied they lost any troops.
"JEM is surrounding El-Geneina town from all sides," JEM
leader Khalil Ibrahim told Reuters from Darfur. "JEM will take
the city."
"We are saying to NGO (non-governmental organisations) not
to fear but they should take care and stay in their compounds."
JEM has increased its military power in recent months
becoming the biggest threat to Sudan's army in Darfur of the more than a dozen other rebel groups.
JEM was among many groups to boycott peace talks, which
opened in October in Libya before quickly ending without
specifying a date for resumption.
Ibrahim did not say when JEM was likely to attack. He added
the government was relying on Chadian rebels to defend the town, which is close to the border.
Chad's government has often accused Sudan of supporting an
insurgency in its east as Khartoum says N'Djamena supports
Darfur guerrillas. A Reuters witness has seen Chadian rebels in
El-Geneina.
Warn us before flying
International experts estimate some 200 000 people have died in Darfur and 2.5m driven from their homes in almost five years of revolt.
A JEM official also warned African Union peacekeeping forces
to inform them before flying as they would target all military
helicopters and planes.
The 7 000-some AU troops and police have failed to stem
violence in Sudan's west and are due to be replaced by a joint 26 000-strong U.N.-AU mission by the end of the year.
But Khartoum's refusal to accept any non-African troops has delayed deployment meaning the earliest any troops are expected to arrive will be during January 2008.