Sudan: 60 persons killed in tribal confrontations
Sudan, Politics, 5/10/2001

Tribal clashes took place in the west of Sudan resulted in killing 60 persons, at a time when the International Committee of the Red Cross announced the suspension of air flights to the Southern of Sudan after the killing of a Danish pilot after his plane was exposed to fire over the areas of Southern Sudan.

The Sudanese daily al-Ayam said that tens of persons were killed in the confrontation between two tribes. One is an Arab and the other is African and with the security forces in Darfour province to the west of Sudan, adding that calm returned back to the region.

Acts of violence erupted after one Camel was stolen and the killing of its owner, according to the paper, which said that 56 persons from al-Zghawa ( African) tribe and four from the security forces were killed in the confrontation. Number of casualties in the Arab tribe was not known.

Meantime, an official at the ICRC announced that air flights to southern Sudan are suspended after the attack on one of its planes on Wednesday that resulted in killing the assistant of the Plane's captain.

The spokesman for the ICRC Michael Cleaner said that the plane was in its mid-way flight between the Southern Sudanese town of Jouba and Luketshokyo in the North of Kenya in a routine weekly trip and it was exposed to a fire. The plane was only carrying the pilot and his assistant ( A Danish 26 year old) who was killed immediately and the plane returned to Kenya.

The source of the fire which hit the plane was not known. Both the Sudanese government and the rebellions denied involvement. But the Sudanese minister of state for foreign affairs Shoul Ding said that the " Plane was hit over an area which falls under the control of the rebellions, and where the presence of the government forces is very limited." He added:" there is no reason that makes the Sudanese soldiers open a plane for the ICRC."

Previous Stories:
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