JEM denies Sudan army’s claims of battle in N. Kordofan

The spokesman of the Sudanese army announced his forces inflicted severe losses in clashes with a rebel group in North Kordofan, who entered the country via South Sudan, over the weekend.  However, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) claims having seized the town where the alleged battle took place. Colonel al-Sawarmi Khalid Saad stated the rebels were ambushed at the Wad Bahr village in Wad Banda locality in North Kordofan after being followed since they entered the country. He added the rebels fled to North Darfur after suffering heavy losses in terms of lives and equipments. The governor of North Kordofan Muatassim Mirghani supported the army’s claims and added the state worked in close coordination with the military. JEM declared it clashed with the army near Wad Banda, noting the “enemies” were on their way to enforce security in preparation to President Omar al-Bashir’s visit to Al-Tiwaisha in North Darfur this week. “Our army summarily defeated the enemy force killing 100 soldiers and seizing 25 Land Cruisers, two Ural trucks, two commander tanks and score of weapons,” the movement’s military spokesman Badawi Mosa Al-Sakin was quoted as saying to Radio Dabanga. He said dozens of army officers arrived in Umm Keddada on late Saturday with many injured soldiers, two of whom died and were buried later that night.   President Omar al-Bashir is scheduled to travel to El-Fasher, Atina and Al-Tiwaisha next Wednesday and Thursday, 6 and 7 March.   Related: Displaced: Sudan president speech inside camp ‘an insult’ (4 March 2013)