JEM claims shot down military plane, demands no-fly zone over Darfur

The Justice and Equality Movement yesterday said that it had brought down a military helicopter in the area of Shagra between Kutum and El Fasher in Northern Darfur state using the air defenses of the resistance forces. Abu Bakr Hamid Nour, the secretary of organization and management of the movement told Radio Dabanga that the plane burnt completely with 2 army officers and 3 soldiers in it.

Radio Dabanga could not contact the army for comment. However, in newspaapers today the Armed Forces Spokesman acknowledged a plane crash near El Fasher, but attributed the cause to “technical problems.” The state SUNA said five military personnel died when an MI18 military transport helicopter crashed while it was landing in El-Fasher airport. The spokesman claimed the helicopter was in “a routine administrative flight around Al- Fasher.” He said the captain, a major, two officers and two non-commissioned officers were martyred in the incident

The JEM official, Abu Bakr Hamid, in additional remarks to Radio Dabanga demanded the international community to impose a no-fly zone over Darfur to protect the civilians and stop the killing and what he defined as genocide going on in Darfur. Abu Bark said that a no-fly zone is needed, pointing out that such demands have been made by displaced people and all the factions in Darfur.