SRF claims ‘heavy losses’ on Sudan forces in Kordofan

The Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebel coallition claims to have “inflicted heavy losses” on the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in Abu Karshola, South Kordofan, on Monday afternoon.Colonel Al Gadi Rumboy, SRF military spokesman, said that his forces destroyed government convoys as they advanced, from four different directions, intent on recapturing Abu Karshola, captured by the rebels more than a week ago.Speaking to Radio Dabanga from the field, the spokesman said that the remaining government troops are advancing towards to the towns of El Rahad, Samih and Asimah, all of which are located along the borders of South and North Kordofan.“The SRF captured ten Land Cruiser vehicles loaded with weapons. Further captured SAF inventory is still being quantified,” Rumboy said. The spokesman stressed that “the coming days will be full of surprises” but he refused to give further details.SRF is said to have “attacked” the town of Umm Rawaba on 27 April and to have overpowered local security forces, fired at government buildings and looted the market.The rebel forces also reportedly killed an unconfirmed number of policemen in the surprise attack on the town, which lies east of the state’s capital El Obeid on the route to capital of White Nile State.In an interview with Radio Dabanga, SRF Chief of Staff claimed his forces do not “attack or rob civilians”. He added that the attacks were in response to assaults waged by government troops on rebel-controlled areas.He said: “We repelled the attack and pursued NCP troops until inside Abu Karshola and Umm Rawaba” before withdrawing from the latter.Map: South Kordofan in red; disputed Abyei Area in pink (Wikipedia-cropped)Related: Sudan’s rebel Chief of Staff: ‘not impossible to reach Khartoum’ (6 May 2013)