Tuesday, September 9, 2008 Free Headline Alerts
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.