From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Tue Feb 23 2010 - 08:22:47 EST
*Darfur rebels say Sudan attacked after ceasefire
*
Reuters
Tuesday, February 23, 2010; 7:11 AM
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Darfur's Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels
said on Tuesday they were attacked by government forces two days after
signing a ceasefire deal with Sudan's government.
Sudan's army denied being involved in any clashes with JEM and the rebel
report was not confirmed by independent sources.
Khartoum has accused rebels of fabricating attacks in the past, but the
timing of the JEM report will cast a shadow over ceremonies expected in Doha
later on Tuesday to ratify the ceasefire.
"Our comrades and garrison east of Jabel Moun (near West Darfur's border
with Chad) were attacked by government forces and militias, backed up by
Antonovs (aircraft) and helicopters ... We defeated them," JEM spokesman
Ahmed Hussein Adam said.
Adam said JEM would sign the ceasefire agreement despite the fighting which
he said took place on Monday afternoon.
"This is not correct," a Sudanese army spokesman said. "The Sudanese army is
not involved in any clashes with JEM. The Sudanese army is committed to the
agreement between the Sudanese army and JEM."
Sudanese government officials and JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim signed a
ceasefire and "framework" deal, setting out the terms of future peace
negotiations in Chad on Saturday.
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir was due to sign the same agreement
with Ibrahim in Qatar on Tuesday afternoon, watched by diplomats and the
presidents of Chad and Eritrea.
(Reporting by Andrew Heavens and Khaled Abdelaziz; Editing by Dominic Evans)
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