By Opheera McDoom
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Darfur rebels said on Sunday they hadattacked an army base in West Darfur, killing a large number ofsoldiers in a renewal of fighting in the troubled area nearSudan's western border with Chad.
Protests around the world to mark five years of war inDarfur are expected to draw thousands of people later onSunday.
West Darfur has seen the worst fighting between the Justiceand Equality Movement (JEM), Darfur's most militarily powerfulrebels, and the government, with more than 100 people killed inclashes in February. Sudan accuses neighbouring Chad ofsupporting JEM.
"The movement shot at an army helicopter and burnt itcompletely during the battle, and hit another one although itsfate is unknown," JEM said in a statement sent on Sunday.
The attack on Saturday afternoon lasted until the eveningand JEM killed "a large number of government troops", thestatement said.
The governor of West Darfur Abu el-Gasim confirmed therehad been clashes in KishKish between army and JEM troops butsaid he did not have more details.
Sudan's army could not immediately comment on the reportand officials from a joint U.N.-African Union peacekeepingmission, known as UNAMID, were unavailable for comment.
JEM said it had stolen weapons and vehicles from the army.
International experts estimate some 200,000 people havedied and 2.5 million been driven from their homes since mostlynon-Arab rebels took up arms in Darfur five years ago.
Washington calls the violence genocide and the conflict hascaptured attention in the West, with Hollywood stars, sportsmenand world famous authors campaigning for an end to fighting.
Khartoum denies genocide, a term European governments arereluctant to use, and puts the death toll at 9,000, blaming theWestern media for exaggerating the conflict.
Sunday's international commemoration, backed by celebritiesincluding children's authors Judy Blume and J.K. Rowling andactor George Clooney, is intended to highlight the plight ofmore than one million children caught up in Darfur's fighting.The protests are being organised by an international coalitionof activists and rights groups.
"Days like this matter because they keep what is happeningin the eyes of the international community," said Clooney, whois also a U.N. messenger of peace. "We need sustainedinternational engagement if we're to see real progress on theground."
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would push theU.N. Security Council next week for progress on Darfur. Brown'soffice said on Sunday he had offered to host Darfur peacetalks.
"Like the thousands of people taking part in events acrossthe world today I feel frustrated by this appalling situationand the slow progress, but I am determined that we will notfail," Brown said in a statement on Sunday.
"I will be pushing for UNAMID to be more quickly deployed,the peace process restarted and, all sides to commit to aceasefire," he added.
(Editing by Catherine Evans)
