وزير دفاع النظام يؤكد وجود خليل إبراهيم في دارفور

Sudan hunts Darfur rebel leader after deadly attack
2 hours ago

KHARTOUM (AFP) — Sudan was still hunting a Darfur rebel leader on Tuesday after an unprecedented attack on Khartoum by his group brought the fight within shooting distance of the seat of power for the first time.

Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Mohammed Hussein told the official SUNA news agency that Khalil Ibrahim, who ######### the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), was known to be in North Darfur.

Sudan has called on "all citizens all over Sudan, especially in Darfur and Kordofan states, to immediately provide the authorities with any information that will lead to the arrest of Khalil Ibrahim," SUNA reported.

The military had announced that 250 million pounds (123 million dollars) would be paid to anyone who captures Ibrahim or provides information on his whereabouts.

On Saturday, JEM rebels fought government forces in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman, which lies just across the Nile from the capital, prompting an indefinite curfew and closure of Khartoum's airport.

Sudanese authorities told the English-language Sudan Tribune daily that 400 rebels and 100 security forces were killed in the fighting, which led Khartoum to sever ties with neighbouring Chad.

Sudanese security services have arrested more than 300 Sudanese and Chadians following the attack, the foreign ministry said.

Islamist opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi and at least four other members of his Popular Congress party were released after several hours in detention on Monday, but at least 16 other officials were still being held, Awad Babakr, the director of Turabi's office said.

On Monday, witnesses reported gunfire around the US embassy and said the military was heavily deployed in Omdurman as the army searched for rebels.

The security services were firing at rebel remnants holed up in residential buildings, although no shooting was reported on Tuesday.

SUNA said the Sudanese military had killed a leading JEM commander and had chased down, fought and wiped out a 45-man rebel force 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Omdurman.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said the mass arrests in Khartoum of perceived supporters of Darfur rebels and other political opponents raised fears of mistreatment.

"The Sudanese government may be systematically rounding up suspected rebel or opposition supporters in Khartoum," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at HRW. "Given Khartoum's record of abuse, there is grave cause for concern about the fate of those detained."

The Sudanese government however said that all those detained would be fairly treated.

"Those who were arrested and who had been involved in the recent attack on Omdurman will be brought to a fair military trial," Hussein told SUNA.

He said rebel forces had incurred a "huge loss" during the attack, adding that their operation had failed.

But JEM deputy chief of staff Suleiman Sandal told AFP on Monday the movement had decided to abandon the fight in Darfur and take the battle to the capital.

"We will no longer fight in Darfur and the desert, we will fight in Khartoum," Sandal said, adding that he ws speaking from Omdurman.

Saturday's attack saw Sudan sever diplomatic ties with Chad, which it accused of backing the rebel assault.

Chad said it regretted Khartoum's decision, denied any involvement in the attack and condemned a raid on the Chadian embassy.

On Monday Chad closed its porous eastern border with Sudan "in order to avoid all infiltration and suspect traffic." It also froze economic and cultural ties.

Sudan's foreign ministry said it had evidence of communication between the rebels, the Chad government and the Chadian embassy in Khartoum.