Darfur rebels claim government attacked them

Darfur's rebels announced that the Sudanese government forces killed ten of its members and at least other ten of its members were injured in continued clashes along the three past days.

The leader of the Sudan's Liberation Army, Abdul Wahid Muhammad, said that the attack started with the bombardment of sites of its fighters in the south of al-Fasher, capital of northern Darfur district, and then by raids launched by pro government militias, noting that the government forces continued its bombardment on Tuesday morning.

He stressed that the Sudanese government wants to obstruct the peace talks set between the two sides in Nigeria's capital, Abuja tomorrow, Thursday, adding that a delegation from the Sudan's Liberation Army is on its way to Abuja to take part in these talks which are being held under the patronage of the African Union.

A Sudanese military spokesman denied these accusations. He said that the government forces had not launched any attacks in Darfur in the past days. The African Union had no information on the attacks but it said that an investigation is taking place to know the heart of the matter.

The government forces and the Sudan's Liberation Army clashed in the same area in July. The African Union criticized the Sudan Liberation Army over launching attacks against the Arab Bedouins in August. The African Union has forces monitoring a fragile ceasefire in Darfur.

Sudanese and American officials hope that the next round of talks will conclude a peace agreement that would settle the conflict which started at the beginning of 2003 and so far resulted in killing scores of thousands and the displacement of about two millions from their houses.