UNAMID says SLA-Minnawi accused Sudan of recent attacks on Um Martei in N. Darfur and Abu Dangal in S. Darfur

UNAMID says former Darfur rebel group SLA-Minnawi accused the Government of Sudan (GOS) of attacking Um Martei, an area under SLA-Minnawi control in North Darfur on 23 November 2008.

The attack happened a day after SLA-Minnawi accused GOS of attacking the village of Abu Dangal in South Darfur last week, stealing 52 camels, abducting two children and dropping four bombs.

GOS has said its only military operations in Darfur are in self-defense or against bandits, not rebels.

Here is the full story by Heba Aly in Khartoum, Sudan.

SUDAN ACCUSED OF SECOND ATTACK IN A WEEK ON FORMER REBEL GROUPS

November 26, 2008 (Bloomberg) - A faction of the Sudan Liberation Army led by Mini Arkou accused Sudan of attacking an area in Darfur under its control for the second time in less than a week, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the area said.

The faction, the only major rebel group to have made peace with the Sudanese government, told peacekeepers three people were killed and several others injured when government forces attacked Um Martei village, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) southeast of Dar el Salam in northern Darfur on Nov. 23, the UN mission, known as Unamid, said late yesterday in an e-mailed statement.   The attack comes a day after the same group accused the army and government-allied militia of attacking the Abu Dangal area in South Darfur last week, stealing 52 camels, abducting two children and dropping four bombs.

Minawi was the only major rebel leader to sign the 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement, which put in place a cease-fire between the two sides and gave Minawi a post as presidential adviser in the government.   No one answered the phone when Bloomberg News called the Interior Ministry today seeking comment. The government has said its only military operations in Darfur are in self-defense or against bandits, not rebels.

On Nov. 12, Sudanese President Umar al-Bashir announced an “immediate” and “unconditional” cease fire in Darfur and a campaign to disarm militias as part of a series of measures aimed at solving the six-year Darfur crisis in which some 300,000 people have been killed and 3 million others have fled their homes.

To contact the reporter on this story: Heba Aly in Khartoum via Johannesburg at abolleurs@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: November 26, 2008 03:00 EST

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Reinforcement of UNAMID Force at Kalma Camp

October 05, 2008 - UNAMID report:

A UNAMID Military Force from Nyala, Sector South, was dispatched to Kalma camp to reinforce the UNAMID Police at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, as a result of recent alleged threats of attack on the camp by the Government of Sudan (GoS) Forces. The team provided overnight protection at the camp and also provided security at the site of the helicopter crash of 29 September 2008.

The team is composed of 1 platoon with one Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) present around the clock on a rotational basis of 12 hours for each Platoon. The team also reinforced the patrol from the Community Policing Centre (CPC).