New attacks on rebel sites in Darfur’s Jebel Marra

The Sudan Liberation Movement under the leadership of Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW) says it repelled attacks on their sites in southern Jebel Marra this weekend.

Waleed Abakar, the military spokesman for the SLM-AW, told Radio Dabanga that “government militia troops” launched attacks on their sites at Gogo and Kor, 4 km north of Kass in South Darfur that morning.

“Our fighters stood up to the attacks, they killed 27 paramilitaries including three captains, destroyed seven Land Cruisers, and seized some weapons and ammunition,” he reported.

He said warplanes of the Sudan Air Force were circling above the area during the day. On Sunday afternoon the fighting was still going on.

Military offensive

This year in March, government forces, consisting mainly of paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, attacked rebel sites in East Jebel Marra in South Darfur. In April, areas in north-western Jebel Marra were targeted. At least 13 villages burned to the ground.

Tens of thousands of people reportedly fled their homes. The US Department of State expressed its serious concerns about the renewed violence. This month, again thousands of villagers were newly displaced by fighting in the southern part of Jebel Marra in Kass in South Darfur.

According to the UN and partners, 82,000 people were newly displaced across Darfur during the first seven months of 2016, when a similar military offensive against the holdout rebels in the mountainous region shook its grounds. Up to an additional 117,000 people were also reportedly displaced, but the UN and partners were unable to verify these figures owing to a lack of access to the relevant locations.