Khartoum: Darfur rebels have said that more
than 200 civilians had been killed in clashes with Sudanese
government troops over the past week in the war-torn western
region`s central Jebel Marra plateau.
The Sudanese Army rejected the death toll and a UN
officials said they could not confirm civilian casualties as
their personnel were unable to access the battle zone.
"We have counted at least 237 civilians dead during
fighting over the past week," Ibrahim al-Hillu, a senior
commander of the Sudan Liberation Army faction of Abdelwahid
Nour said yesterday.
"Clashes have been continuing today (Monday)," Hillu
told.
"(Sudanese government) Antonov aircraft have been
bombing the area night and day."
A spokesman for the Sudanese army said the death toll
cited by the rebels was "wrong" and denied that troops were
engaged in sustained fighting with Nour`s SLA faction.
"SLA-Abdelwahid has no organised base in Jebel Marra.
There are just a few fighters who attempt ambushes or hijack
vehicles... so sometimes there are a few engagements between
these men and the armed forces," the spokesman told.
A spokesman for the UN relief effort in Darfur was
unable to confirm or deny the rebel reports of heavy civilian
casualties.
PTI
