June 28, 2012 (KHARTUM) - Darfur rebel group voiced its support to the peaceful demonstration in Sudan denying rumours they plan to attack the towns or to disturb the popular protests.

Nimir Abdel Rahman (ST)

"We support the popular uprising, of the Sudanese people against the regime, said Nimir Abdel Rahman, spokesperson of the Sudan Liberation Movement – Abdel Wahid (SLM-AW), adding “It is one of the main pillars of political change in Sudan".

Speaking by telephone with Sudan Tribune, the rebel official dismissed rumours that the rebels intend to attack the capital during the protests and to create chaos.

"These are the kind of cheap propaganda, the regime try to disseminate to deter people from expressing their rejection to this tyrannical regime," he stressed.

He said this rumour means to stir up sedition and to divide Sudanese at this critical moment.

Nimir said they condemn the arrest and torture of peaceful protesters and urged the international community to put pressures on the regime which "violates the constitutional rights of the Sudanese citizens."

He further said the leadership of the movement follows closely the developments of the situation in the different towns throughout the country.

Different sources in the capital denote the significant participation of Darfurian students in the Sudanese capital in the protests against the lifting of oil subsidies and new taxes. The supporters of the SLM-AW organized several demonstrations against the regime in Khartoum in different occasions.

Different people arrested by the Sudanese security services recently say before to be released they were told to avoid demonstration because if the regime fall the rebels will enter the capital to create chaos.

After the attack by the Justice and Equality Movement on the capital in May 2008, the security officials speculated that the rebels were intending to aggress men and rape women, created an anti-rebel resentment.

The SLM-AW did not took part in any peace talks after Abuja process asking the regime to implement a number of matter related to the security situation, land ownership and financial compensation stressing that talks can discuss the political aspect of the crisis.

The group is part of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) with the SPLM-North, JEM and SLM of Minni Minnawi. The rebel alliance refuses separate talks on the regional issues and demands a comprehensive process on the national issues.

Nimir said their troops clashed two days ago with the Sudanese army on Nyala-El-Fasher road in South Darfur.

Our forces killed a colonel leading the Sudanese troops and seized over sixty vehicles he said. He also said they captured 62 prisoners of war.

He added that the fight was continuing up to Wednesday evening.

(ST)