Sudan: 45 Rebels Killed in Darfur Clashes

Unknown Number of Soldiers Also Slain

Sudan’s Army is reporting today that at least 45 rebels were killed today after they attacked a northern village in Darfur. The spokesman, talking on state radio, said the rebels were from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

The army’s spokesman death toll is incomplete, because he also claimed a number of civilians were killed by the JEM during looting, and that an unspecified number of soldiers died in the fighting.

The JEM also noted the battle, but insisted that they had defeated the Sudanese Army and seized 18 government vehicles in the raid. JEM spokesman Badawi Musa added that they were prepared to attack government forces at any time. They also denied the death toll and the claims of looting.

The governor of Northern Darfur also confirmed the fighting, but declined to offer any specifics. He insisted that the security situation is now stable and that the army is in control of the entire region.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.