Heavy fighting in Darfour: Sudan reportedly bombing civilian areas
CAIRO — Heavy fighting has again broken out between the Sudanese military and
rebels.
The fighting was reported in North Darfour and included Sudanese
military air and ground strikes.
Rebels said the Sudanese Air Force was
employing fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft in bombing missions against
civilian communities.
"The military operations in that area have been routine," Sudanese
military spokesman Brig. Gen. Mohammed Othman Al Aghbash said.
The Sudan Liberation Movement, a leading rebel group, said a military
assault was repelled on Sept. 7. In a statement, SLM said it destroyed or
disabled dozens of military vehicles.
Rebel sources said nearly 100 fighters and soldiers were killed in heavy
fighting in the North Darfour towns of Birmaza, Disa and Tawila.
The
Sudanese military was said to have employed four Russian-origin Mi-24 attack
helicopters as well as two Antonov air transports. The Antonov has been used
to drop bombs on rebel-held communities.
The Khartoum regime has blamed neighboring countries for helping the
Darfour rebels. Officials said Libya was a key source of rebel weapons and
funding.
