Rebels claim attack on ‘Abu Tira’ HQ in South Darfur

Troops of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) attacked the headquarters of the Central Reserve Forces (also known as Abu Tira) in the locality of Mershing, South Darfur. Witnesses say that three Abu Tira troops were killed and four others injured, including a civilian. The SRF said it lost one troop and three others were injured, while it “killed 37 government troops and militiamen”. Speaking to Radio Dabanga eyewitnesses from Mershing town reported that SRF troops attacked the Abu Tira headquarters at about 6:30am on Thursday. According to the witnesses the SRF captured weapons, ammunition and five Land Cruisers, one of them belonging to the Executive Director of Mershing locality. A part of the population of Mershing fled to the nearby valleys, forests or mountains. The witnesses added that an Antonov started to hover above Mershing and 50 vehicles with Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Central Reserve Forces and police troops arrived in the area immediately after the attack. Nimr Abdelrahman, spokesperson for the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdelwahid (SLA-AW), one of the factions belonging to the SRF, announced that they destroyed seven vehicles, and seized 11 Land Cruisers. “All weapons, ammunition, and military equipment, as well as food supplies and medicines from the Abu Tira, security forces and police stores”, he added.  The Governor of South Darfur state, Major General  Adam Mahmoud Jar El Nabi reported via the pro-government Sudanese Media Center that “the SAF repelled an attempted attack by rebels on the premises of the locality of Mershing”.Dozens of rebels were killed, nine of them captured, and three of their vehicles seized. Nabi added that three SAF troops were killed and that the rebels “who have infiltrated the mountain tops” are being pursued. File photo by Unamid Related: ‘Three SAF troops captured in Amarjadeed, South Darfur’: Rebels (28 October 2013)