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Empresas y finanzas

Darfur rebels say they defeat Sudan army attack


    By Andrew Heavens

    KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Darfur rebels said on Tuesday they hadfought off a major assault from Sudanese government forces inthe troubled region, inflicting casualties and pushing troopsback to West Darfur's capital.

    International sources, speaking on condition of anonymity,confirmed reports of fighting in the area, but no wasimmediately available for comment from the Sudanese ArmedForces.

    "They attacked us because they wanted to show that theycontrolled the area. But it is not true. This is JEMterritory," Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leader KhalilIbrahim told Reuters.

    Darfur has been beset by unrest since early 2003 whenmostly non-Arab rebels took up arms against Khartoum, accusingthe central government of neglect.

    International experts say 200,000 people have died and 2.5million driven from their homes. Rebel splits and thegovernment's mobilisation of mostly Arab tribal militia --known as the Janjaweed -- against the rebels has created achaotic mix of armed groups and a breakdown of law and order.

    Khartoum accuses the western media of exaggerating theconflict and puts the death count at 9,000.

    Ibrahim said the attack began at midday and the fightinghad concluded a few hours later on land between Jabel Moun andthe town of Suleia in West Darfur.

    "We defeated them. They have retreated to El Geneina. Anenormous number of their soldiers were killed," he added.

    Ibrahim, speaking by phone from the region, said it was tooearly to get exact numbers of casualties.

    If confirmed, the clash would be the latest in a series ofbattles between JEM and Sudanese forces in West Darfur, aremote region bordering Chad.

    The Sudanese government last month said it had clearedrebels out of parts of West Darfur after a "cleansingoperation" that included air and ground attacks on the threetowns of Sirba, Suleia and Abu Surouj and later the mountainousJabel Moun area.

    JEM and other forces said they retained control of largeareas of land and have pushed back government offensives.

    Kartoum accuses its neighbour Chad of arming JEM forcesalong their mutual border - a claim denied by JEM and Chad.

    Darfur's revolt promoted a resurgency of neighbouringChad's civil war, with both capitals accusing each other offanning the flames of the conflicts.

    (Editing by Matthew Jones)