JEM preparing to overthrow Sudan's Government of NU

JEM says it is in the process of overthrowing the Sudanese government.

From Sudan Radio Service 29 April 2009 - (Khartoum):

The Government of National Unity says that JEM, backed by Chadian forces, are preparing another attack against GONU.

The spokesperson of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ambassador Ali Al-Sadeq, spoke to Sudan Radio Service from Khartoum on Wednesday.

[Ali Al-Sadeq]: “They are massing their troops across the border and they have done that on a couple of occasions when they are preparing for an offensive against the country. This is information gathered from across the border. We did not say they are inside Sudan. They are in Chadian territory; we have information that there are at least 40 vehicles with Chadian registration belonging to the army.”

However JEM dismissed the claim by GONU officials.

Ahmed Mohamed Togud, JEM’s political secretary, spoke to Sudan Radio Service from an unidentified location in Darfur on Wednesday.

[Ahmed Togud]: “First of all, this statement is a lie, the truth is that GONU has completely prepared Chadian rebels in al-Geneina in western Darfur after a big military show for the Chadian rebels inside the town, these groups have moved to three different sectors with the support of the air force in government sectors to attack Chadian territory, so the statements by the Sudanese officials are just to cover their activities and to hide the movements of the Chadian rebels.”

Togud did not dismiss the prospect of a military operation against GONU.

[Ahmed Togud]: “The government is afraid of JEM, and it thinks it is the only body which is threatening it as a regime and a government, we are in the process of overthrowing this government, it is just a matter of time, and we are going to do it.”

JEM launched an attack on Omdurman in May last year in which 200 people were killed. GONU and JEM signed a goodwill agreement in Doha in February 2009.

JEM has accused GONU of violating the goodwill agreement by issuing death sentences against 81 men who were captured during the attack.