Rebel forces claim control of Mellit, North Darfur

The Darfur rebel forces announced taking control of Mellit in North Darfur on Thursday.  The joint rebel forces entered the town of Mellit on Thursday afternoon, Adam Saleh Abakar, the spokesman for the resistance forces told Radio Dabanga. A number of Sudanese army and militia troops were killed and wounded. The rebels captured 18 Land Cruisers, loaded with various weapons, as well as large quantities of arms, ammunition, supplies, and military equipment, Abakar added. “We have taken full control of Mellit town after the mercenaries of the National Congress Party fled in all directions”. Salih stressed that they are still counting the dead and wounded army and militia troops. Sources in Mellit locality have confirmed that armed movement troops entered Mellit town on Thrusday afternoon. The self-entitled “Darfur joint resistance forces” consist of Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid El Nur (SLM-AW), the SLM faction under the command of Minni Minawi (SLM-MM), and the Liberation Movement for Justice, led by Taher Hajar (LMJ-TH) and commanded in the field by Ali Karbino. File photo: A convoy of Justice and Equality Movement(JEM) vehicles in Darfur Related:Joint rebels capture towns; North Darfur citizens protest (7 March 2014) Rebel forces claim control of North Darfur localities (5 March 2014)