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Darfur towns burned in attacks
12/02/2008 15:32 - (SA)
Khartoum - A major assault by the Sudanese army and allied militia has left two Darfur towns badly damaged by fire, sources close to a United Nations reconnaissance mission to the region say.
The news came as the International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed one of its staff members had been killed in the offensive. Aid group MSF Switzerland said a small number of its staff had gone missing after the attacks.
Sudan said its forces attacked the western towns of Abu Surouj, Sirba and Suleia on Friday to clear out fighters from the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).
The UN's refugee agency said at least 12 000 Darfuris fled into neighbouring Chad to escape the violence. Residents, who claimed there were no rebels present in the towns, said 47 people were killed in one settlement alone.
'Both places were partially burned down'
A UN assessment mission to Abu Surouj and Sirba found buildings burned to the ground and reports of sustained air and ground assaults.
"Both places were partially burned down," said the source close to the UN/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), which took part in the investigation mission that ended its trip late on Monday.
"We confirmed that they were attacked on February 08 Helicopter gunships were seen. Antonov aircraft were seen. Witnesses said they were also attacked by men riding on horseback accompanied by vehicles."
Residents left in Sirba had been too scared to talk openly to the investigation mission because of the presence of Sudanese army soldiers, said the source, adding that the team had not managed to visit the third settlement of Suleia.
Chad threatened on Monday to expel any more refugees arriving from Darfur, saying their presence was triggering insecurity.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Tuesday confirmed earlier reports that one of its Sudanese staff members had died during the assault on Suleia.
'This is the deadliest attack'
The 45-year-old father-of-six was killed inside the ICRC's office in the town, said the organisation, adding that it was planning to investigate the incident "as security conditions permit".
"The ICRC extends its condolences to the family of the victim, who was not only a colleague but also a friend," said a spokesperson. "His death is a loss for the entire organisation."
Humanitarian agencies on Tuesday said their access to west Darfur had been severely hampered for weeks by increasing unrest.
"This is the biggest and deadliest attack in many, many months," said one aid worker, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A spokesperson for MSF Switzerland said the organisation was still trying to trace staff that had been based in Suleia. "Most of our workers managed to get into Chad, but we haven't been able to confirm the location of a small number of them," he said.
West Darfuris had been caught up in increasingly violent clashes involving Sudan's Armed Forces, insurgent groups, and the forces of neighbouring Chad.
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