Sudan army claims victory in Sarrong, Jebel Marra

The Sudanese military has denied claims by the rebel SLM-AW in Jebel Marra that hundreds of government troops have been killed over the last week. It claimed it captured Sarrong in western Jebel Marra this weekend.

More than 30 combatants of Abdel Wahid’s SLM were arrested in Sarrong, the field commander and spokesman of the Sudan Armed Forces sector in western Jebel Marra, Saleh Mohamed Adam El Futi told Radio Dabanga on Monday.

El Futi denied claims that more than 1,000 government troops and militiamen were killed by the rebel forces over the last week. He said that they have lost only three soldiers, and seven were wounded in these battles.

Last week witnessed clashes between the holdout SLM-AW and the military forces and allied militias in Sarrong and Wadi Tori, both in western Jebel Marra, on the outskirts of Central Darfur. The military operations against the armed rebels have been going on since 15 January, displacing more than 100,000 people from villages, according to international aid organisations.

The commander announced that the army entered Sarrong, south of Golo, on Saturday and restored it from Abdel Wahid’s movement after they fled. He said that they left behind “300 dead on the ground”.

Beside the arrest of 30 rebels, various weapons were seized.

Militia in Kutum

A large force of paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in approximately 72 vehicles, loaded with various kinds of weapons, arrived in Kutum in North Darfur on Monday.

A witness from the town reported that the force moved to reinforce another stationed near Damratel Sheikh, composed of more than 100 vehicles.

He told this station that residents of Kutum are concerned that the paramilitaries might attack civilians.