Sudanese army claim seizure of new strategic position from S. Kordofan rebels ArticleComments (7). Email PrintSave --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 3, 2001 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) announced on Saturday its troops took the control of the main stronghold of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) located in Jau, near the border with South Kordofan state where clashes erupted since six months there. Jau, located in South Sudan’s Unity state, is the principal base of the SPLA 9th division which is mainly composed of Nuba and deployed in South Kordofan. Located below to Lake Alabeyd, Jau is also at 25 km north of Yida refugee camp, bombed by SAF warplanes earlier last November. The armed forces defeated the rebels in Ababyed Lake - Jau area in South Kordofan state where the armed forces seized the headquarters of ninth division of the rebel SPLM-N; said al-Sawarmi Khaled the spokesperson in a statement released on Saturday evening. The spokesperson further said the army killed undetermined number of rebels, captured two tanks and destroyed a third one. The Sudanese president recently during a convention of the ruling National Congress Party directed the army to clear Blue Nile and South Kordofan from any rebel presence in the area. He also renewed his accusations to the South Sudanese government of backing the rebels in the two areas. In a statement to Reuters, Qamar Dalman, media adviser of the SPLM-N deputy leader Abdel Aziz al-Hilu denied the presence of rebel troops in Jau saying it "falls in South Sudan according to 1956 border". This week the army announced the seizure of Torogi. However independence sources in the area told Sudan Tribune that the fighting is still taking place up to Saturday evening in Torogi. The source further said since Saturday evening (6.30 pm local time) the Sudanese artillery started shelling Jau, from a position located approximately13 km east. Aid workers in the region are fearing that SAF artillery target Yida refugee camp again. Humanitarian organizations said they would start evacuating on Sunday morning. "Due to lack of resources, the camp has very little food remaining and the refugees will be left with only a 1 day food ration" for every refugee, sources said. The aid workers further said the refugees will be scattered further into South Sudan If the camp is attacked. (ST) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob?hl=en.
