Rights group concerned at mass arrests in Khartoum
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch voiced concern onTuesday at mass arrests in Khartoum after an attack on Sudan'scapital by Darfur rebels and said it feared some people hadbeen tortured or executed.
Authorities were shaken by the attack, the first timefighting had reached the capital in decades of conflict betweenthe traditionally Arab-dominated central government and rebelsfrom far-flung regions in the oil-producing country.
New York-based Human Rights Watch urged the government toquickly try or release those arrested in the aftermath.
"The whereabouts of the majority of those arrested areunknown," it said in a statement.
"Human Rights Watch received unconfirmed reports that someof those arrested have been tortured and that at least twopeople have been summarily executed in public."
The SUNA state news agency said at least 300 people hadbeen arrested by Sunday, but many more have been arrestedsince.
President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said all those connected tothe attack by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) would geta fair trial. Darfur rebels took up arms in 2003 complaining ofdiscrimination against the largely non-Arab region.
"The president ... affirmed the provision of a fair trialwith the right to defence for all those involved in the brutalattack on Omdurman," SUNA said, referring to the suburb on theopposite bank of the Nile to central Khartoum.
Darfuri human rights lawyer Saleh Mahmoud Osman said hisbrother was arrested on Sunday and he did not know where hewas.
"On public transport, even on the streets, people areidentified and treated openly in a harsh way because of theircolour or because they look Darfuri," he told Reuters,estimating the number arrested in the hundreds not thousands.
MOST PARTIES UNITED
Almost all Sudan's main political parties have condemnedthe attack.
The army said on Tuesday it had lost 97 soldiers includingfour officers in battles with the rebels in Omdurman andoutside the capital. Two soldiers were missing and 30 civiliansdied.
This is the first time in years Sudan's security forceshave announced such high casualties.
A spokesman said 91 rebels were killed in Omdurman but theyhad no figures for battles outside the capital or wounded. Theycaptured 143 rebel vehicles.
Bashir held a rare meeting with opposition Umma Partyleader and former Prime Minister Sadig al-Mahdi after theattack.
But security forces detained opposition Islamist Hassanal-Turabi for more than 12 hours on Monday for questioning. Heand several other leaders of his Popular Congress Party werereleased without charge.
JEM rebel leader Khalil Ibrahim was once allied to Turabi,but both deny any links now. Turabi's party has said it willhave to meet before it issues a formal statement on the attack.
Burnt out vehicles and broken glass littered Omdurman'sstreets, recalling the destruction in decades of conflicts thathave scarred the south, Darfur and the east of Sudan but neverthe capital, which is enjoying the profits of an oil boom.
JEM's forces have retreated to the neighbouring Kordofanprovince since the fighting at the weekend. The price onIbrahim's head doubled to $250,000. The army said he was inNorth Darfur or North Kordofan which neighbours Khartoum.
Security forces are also searching for individuals who arein hiding in Omdurman, where a curfew is still in place.
Sudan has blamed neighbouring Chad for the attack and cutdiplomatic relations. Chad on Monday closed its border withSudan but denied any link to the assault. Sudan said allChadian embassy staff had been asked to leave.
Darfur's five year conflict has claimed an estimated200,000 lives and driven more than 2.5 million from theirhomes. Rebels from Sudan's multiple regional wars all feel thecentral government has marginalised their areas.
Khartoum blames the Western media for exaggerating theconflict and puts the death toll at 10,000.
(Editing by Matthew Tostevin)