Sudan Army in Fresh Clashes With SPLA and Rebels in Darfur and South Kordofan - AllAfrica.com

Khartoum — The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) has repelled an attack by South Sudan's army today in al-Meram locality in South Kordofan state, a local official said.

The al-Meram mayor Colonel Fathi Abdullah Arabi told the government-sponsored Sudanese Media Center (SMC) website that the assault targeted an SAF brigade in Bahr al-Arab region which lies 62 kilometers south of al-Meram town.

Arabi said that the SPLA wants to disperse SAF efforts in trying to liberate the Heglig region occupied by the south last week. He claimed that they inflicted heavy losses on the assailants that are still being counted.

The mayor called it a violation of borders and promises made by South Sudan in the agreements signed and vowed a "double response" to rebellion in his area.

In South Darfur, the deputy governor Abdel-Kareem Moussa said that the Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) attacked Sispan area in Katila locality on borders with South Sudan.

The mayor of Katila said that JEM destroyed a communication tower and seized fuel supplies and disclosed that Goghana area was also attacked and killed one cattle herder while injuring another. He added that livestock also perished in the aftermath.

The Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) issued a statement today claiming that it took control of Um Dafoug in South Darfur. The rebel group said that it seized large amount of weapons and ammunitions while killing and injuring many SAF soldiers while taking many prisoners too.

"SLM-MM destroyed all military presence for forces of the [ruling] National Congress Party and its militias in the area".

But the Sudanese information minister and government spokesman Ahmed al-Tayeb denied that the area fell to SLM-MM saying that they left afterwards.