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September 7, 2012 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese army and rebel groups in South Kordofan state and Darfur region confirmed clashes in the two regions but they delivered different accounts about the outcome of the fight.
- Fighters of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) sit on top of a truck outside the north Darfur town of Kutum, in December 2007 (Reuters/file photo)
The surge of violence coincide with resumption of talks in Addis Ababa between Khartoum and Juba over security issues and discussions with the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) over the Two Areas.
Al-Sawarmi Khalid, Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) spokesperson said in a statement released in Friday that government troops killed some 77 rebels in clashes with the SPLM-N and Darfur rebel groups.
The military spokesperson said the army repulsed a SPLM-N attack on the village of Hagar Al-Dom 30 kilometers northeast Kallugi, South Kordofan on Thursday.
He added that 45 rebels were killed during the fight and accused the assailant force of killing 21 civilians.
SPLM-N spokesman Arnu Lodi said in a short statement sent to Sudan Tribune on Friday that their combatants took the control of the village but did not elaborate on casualties of the fight.
A rebel delegation is expected to join the talks in the Ethiopian capital for negotiated settlement of the one-year conflict in Blue Nile and South Kordofan with Khartoum. The government negotiating team is there since Tuesday 4 September.
Yasir Arman SPLM-N Secretary general and head of negotiating delegation blamed the mediation for belatedly informing them about the date of the talks.
Al-Sawarmi in his statements spoke about clashes with rebels of Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) in the village of Al-Arabeib Al-Ashara eastern Jebel Marra, North Darfur state. But he did not cite a specific rebel group.
According to SAF spokesperson, the army repelled the assailant force and killed 32 rebels besides destroying 10 vehicles.
The Sudan Liberation Movement- Abdel Wahid faction (SLM-AW) came on Thursday evening with a different account accusing the army of attacking its position in Fanga Suk on the border of West Darfur with North Darfur.
Nimir Abdel-Rahman, SLM-AW spokesperson, in statements to Sudan Tribune, accused the army of attacking their position in Fanga Suk adding their captured 32 vehicles and inflected heavy losses on the government troops.
Also the rebel Justice and Equality Movement reported Friday clashes between the army and a joint rebel force from JEM-and SLM-AW fighters in South Darfur.
Badawi Moussa Al-Sakin, JEM military spokesperson, said they clashed with SAF troops in Tanga, eastern Jebel Marra, South Darfur on Thursday 6 September.
"The (Sudanese army) force consisting of 110 vehicles, two military tanks and air-cover squadron was summarily defeated," he added in statement to Sudan Tribune.
Al Sakin said they captured 30 vehicles and destroyed 10 others in addition to the two tanks.
Darfur hold-out rebel groups formed last November an alliance with the SPLM-N aiming to bring regime change in Sudan.
The SRF groups vow to use political and military means to topple Khartoum government but they refuse a negotiated settlement for their regional issues or political coexistence with the NCP regime.
Khartoum accuses Juba of supporting the rebel groups in Darfur and South Kordofan saying it uses them to impact the outcome f the talks on the outstanding issues. But Juba and the rebels deny such support even if Western capitals confirm close links between the two sides.
(ST)
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