18 Sudanese army troops killed

The Sudanese People's Liberation Army announced today that its forces have killed 18 government soldiers in battles that took place between November 27 and December 1, in west central Sudan, and it acknowledged the killing of one its troops.

The SPLA, chaired by Colonel John Garang, said the battles broke out when the governmental forces attempted to occupy the Tagora region of the El-Nuba mountains.

The head of the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement in Cairo, Michel Kody, said that SPLA forces killed 18 Sudanese troops and captured weapons and arms. He said that one SPLA member was killed and another four injured in the battle.