Al-Anbaa: Several leaders of Darfour rebellion killed
Sudan, Politics, 3/3/2004

The Sudanese daily al-Anbaa said yesterday that the Sudanese government forces killed several leaders of the rebel movement in Darfour and detained others.

The paper said, according to the governor of Darfour North province, Othman Youssef Kabar, that six of the leaders of the rebels were at least killed in fightings on Saturday and Sunday in al-Toubshe village and near al-Taweila village.

Kabar expected that Khater Tour al-Khala, one of the rebel leaders in Darfour, to have been killed in these battles. Kabar said that other leaders from the rebel movement were detained, adding that the government forces confiscated more than 20 armored vehicles and destroyed one. He stressed that there is no rebellion in all areas of "Darfour with the exception of certain pockets." On February 9th, the Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir announced that his army fully controls Darfour, imposing a military solution on the conflict with the rebels who denied that.

On the other hand, the Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael said that the Sudanese authorities vow to guarantee the security of the rebel leaders in Darfour if they accept participating in the national reconciliation conference.

He said on the sideline of the meeting of the Arab foreign ministers in Cairo "we have called for the convening of a comprehensive peace in Darfour and we do hope it will be held in March." He added that " President Omar al-Bashir vowed to release a pardon for the leaders of the rebels if they accept to take part in the conference."

He explained that the President of Chad who patroned the negotiations between the Sudanese governments and the rebels in Darfour " accepted to preside over this conference." The Sudanese minister stressed that the "Government fully controls Darfour, but limited activities took place " by the side of the rebels." He also said "we want to put an end to illegitimate activities that happened by the side of the 'rebels' and therefore we have called for convening for this conference which will be attended by the people of Darfour who live in the country and abroad, alike."

Previous Stories:
  Khartoum suspends contacts with the opposition national coalition   (3/2/2004)
  UN suspends its aids to southern Sudan   (2/28/2004)
  Turabi accuses the government of feeding the conflict in Darfour   (2/26/2004)

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