SLM-MM ‘kills 12 government soldiers’ south of El Fasher

The Sudan Liberation Movement faction led by Minni Minawi (SLM-MM) claims it killed 12 Sudanese government troops, and took control of the Alawna area, in Dar El Salaam locality, south of El Fasher, in North Darfur. In a statement the movement said its forces defeated government soldiers in a battle on Wednesday, killing 12 including the regional commander Mohammed Musa Ab bakr. The SLM-MM also said they destroyed one vehicle and stole another belonging to government forces, and took ‘complete control of the area’. A spokesman of the rebel movement Abdullah Al Mersal, confirmed the statement and said one of their soldiers was wounded in the fighting.SAF commander: ‘SLM-M killed civilians’Colonel Abdul Allah Bannaga, Sudan Armed Forces commander for Dar El Salaam said there were six citizens killed in Alawna and a further four injured in the attacks carried out by the SLM-MM. Bannaga told the government’s news agency SUNA that the SLM-MM entered Alawna in three vehicles and attacked civilians on Wednesday afternoon. He said the four injured citizens were taken to hospital for treatment. The Colonel also accused the movement of setting fire to three houses, and destroying water pumps. He said the movement fled towards an area east of Jebbel Marra after they attacked. Bannaga also stated that local authorities had begun fixing the water pumps and were distributing water and food to those affected by the SLM-MM’s attack.Eyewitnesses said the attack killed six soldiers and injured one belonging to the government’s Popular Defence Forces stationed in Alawna.