Darfur rebels claim victory in new ‘Jebel Marra clash’

The leadership of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW) claims to have killed or wounded 37 government troops and militiamen while repelling an attack on Koron and Sarensa south of Golo in western Jebel Marra on Monday. However, the government commander denies any clash took place.

The movement claimed it defeated the government convoy, killed and wounded 37 of its members and forced the rest to flee to west of Golo areas.

SLM-AW military spokesman Shamseldin Ahmed Haggar told Radio Dabanga that on Monday the government forces and militiamen launched an attack with a force of 175 soldiers in Land Cruisers and 250 more riding camels and horses.

He said that the movement forces “confronted them [the govt. troops] at Koron and Sarensa, about two kilometres south of Golo.

“SLM-AW forces managed to defeat and disperse the attackers, killing and wounding 37 of them.”

Commander

However, the field commander of the government forces and spokesman for the convoy Ibrahim Saleh Mohamed, denied that the SLM –AW leadership gained a victory against the Sudanese government troops or killed 13 members of the army on Saturday, as reported by Radio Dabanga this week.

Claiming to be speaking from Kutrum on Monday, Saleh told Radio Dabanga that “the SLM-AW spokesman’s allegations are not true”, denied that a battle took place in the area, or that the government forces targeted civilians in Jebel Marra. He added that “the government forces are now in complete control of the area”.