By Opheera McDoom
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Darfur rebels and Sudanese armedforces clashed in West Darfur in a renewal of fighting in thevolatile Sudan-Chad border area, with both sides claiming onSunday they had inflicted heavy casualties.
The violence came as activists around the world prepared tomark five years of war in Darfur with protests to highlight theplight of more than one million children caught in theconflict.
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" and stoleweapons and vehicles from the army, the statement 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.
A senior Sudanese army officer told Reuters JEM attackedfrom vehicles that came from the north and west, across theborder in Chad.
"There are many losses from the enemy side," he said,denying that any helicopters had been hit. "All our helicoptersare fine." He declined to be named.
Officials from a joint U.N.-African Union peacekeepingmission, known as UNAMID, were not immediately able to comment.Two other rebel groups on Sunday said they had clashed with thegovernment in the past two days in the central Jabel Marraregion and in South Darfur near the town of Kass, althoughcasualties were unknown.
FOCUS ON DARFUR
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 in early 2003 chargingthe government in Khartoum with neglect.
The government countered the revolt with men and air power,and by arming local militia which are accused of targetingcivilians by burning villages, pillaging, killing and rape.
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 thefighting.
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 being organised by an internationalcoalition of 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 sustained international engagement if we're to seereal progress on the ground."
Police violently dispersed Darfuri students at KhartoumUniversity demonstrating against violence in the region, andmany remained surrounded inside the university late on Sunday.
"They arrested 35 Darfuris and we have 12 injured with us,some from tear gas, some from knife wounds but we cannot takethem to hospital because we are still locked inside theuniversity," Darfuri student Salaheddin Bosh told Reuters.
Western governments have accused Sudan of impedingdeployment of the United Nations-African Union force taskedwith trying to keep the peace in Darfur. Critics say thoseWestern governments have not provided the equipment and supportneeded to get the U.N.-AU troops on the ground.
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.
(Editing by Mary Gabriel)
