At first, the United Nations, which operates a base with the African
Union near Umm Baru, confirmed the rebel capture after a four-hour attack.
But later, UN officials retracted the claim and said the Sudanese Army
remained in control of Umm Baru.
"The army inflicted a heavy toll in lives and property and they were
chased out of the area," Sudanese Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Othman Al Agbash
said. "The remnants of JEM's armed forces have fled to the Sudan-Chad
border."
Al Agbash said the rebels comprised units of JEM. He said JEM fighters
were receiving military equipment and other support from Chad.
For its part, JEM said it had captured Umm Baru. But a spokesman said
rebel forces withdrew after the Sudanese Air Force began bombing the base.
On May 16, JEM reported the capture of the Sudanese Army base at Kornoi,
about 50 kilometers from Umm Baru. Sudan asserted that Chadian troops
participated in the JEM operation.
JEM has been deemed the largest rebel group in Darfour and sought to
overthrow the regime of President Omar Bashir. In May 2008, JEM conducted a
massive assault on Khartoum, an offensive that came within 10 kilometers of
Bashir's palace.
