SRF withdraws from Gereida

The joint force of the Sudan Revolutionary Front led by the two factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement (Abdel Wahid and Minni Minawi) today withdrew from Gereida which it claimed to take control of on Tuesday. The military spokesman of the SLM-AW said the attack on Gereida killed 17 soldiers, destroyed a tank and six trucks along with the army’s weapon stores. He added that many soldiers took shelter at the UN/African Union Mission in Darfur’s headquarters. The spokesman of the SLM-MM told Radio Dabanga that there will be more attacks in the coming days which will ‘defeat the National Congress Party wherever they may be’, as the main aim remains to ‘fully eliminate the NCP.’ He said they have withdrawn to also avoid fighting near civilian areas. In Nyala, the government of South Darfur said it had regained control of Gereida after it was seized by the SRF on Tuesday and after those forces withdrew today. Army ‘regains control’ Minister of information for South Darfur Ahmed Tayb told Radio Dabanga that the opposition movements entered Gereida on Tuesday clashing with soldiers late into the night. He said more rebels entered Gereida this morning to re-arm fighters and organise them. Tayb added that the city has returned to ‘an atmosphere of calm’ and accused the Front of causing damage to property and looting the area of consumer goods. Four killed in strikesCitizens in Gereida confirmed that the SRF forces withdrew from the city this afternoon. Witnesses also told Radio Dabanga that air strikes killed four people, Ali Adam El Zain, Adam Hamid, Jumaa Haroun Bashrin and Khaed Beja on Wednesday. Ibrahim Muhammed Hadi Obeid and Khalif Allah Bashir were also injured and are now in hospital. They added that after the SRF forces withdrew government troops, border guards and a large number of militia on camels entered area.