Some 18 foreigners arrested in Sudan, carrying out military exercises

A Sudanese official said yesterday that some 19 foreigners and one Sudanese were arrested in a training camp to the west of Sudan, and found with then weapons and a mobile telephone.

The Sudanese ministry of the interior on Tuesday evening said that the Sudanese forces launched an attack at a position to the west of Sudan and arrested several persons including foreigners who were "conducting suspicious activities." In a statement, the ministry said that the army and security forces launched an attack against "West Kardavan province" following leaked information that a group of persons were carrying out suspected activities giving no further details.

A statement issued yesterday by the Sudanese independent daily "Akhbar al-Youm " said that the governor of West Kardavan province Lt. Gen. Al-Tayeb Abdul Rahim spoke of almost 18 Sudanese and one foreigner being arrested, while holding military exercises near a village, three hours walk from Lakwah city of West Kardvan province.

Abdul Rahim said the Sudanese forces found with them 8 guns, ammunition, a mobile, religious book and sums including US dollars, Saudi riyals, UAE Dirhams and 120,000 Sudanese dinars ( USD 500). He added that the Sudanese forces also found three jeep cars with them. He said that the arrested persons stressed they do not belong to any organization and they follow the "path of the God." The London- based al-Hayat daily said four Saudis are among the arrested persons.