Darfur rebels accused Sudan’s government of launching two attacks on their positions on Wednesday, a day after the sides signed a goodwill agreement paving the way to peace talks.
The insurgent Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) said government aircraft bombed their fighters in the mountainous East Jabel Marra area, at the same time as ground forces and militias clashed about 70km further north-east.
No one was immediately available from Sudan’s armed forces to comment on the reports. The prominent leader of a separate rebel force confirmed the air attack, saying it killed four civilians, while peacekeepers said they were looking into reports of both incidents.
The reports will dismay observers and foreign governments who on Tuesday gave a cautious welcome to the deal between JEM and the government. Many said it could be a first step to peace after almost six years of fighting.
The warring sides met in Qatar and agreed to make peace talks a priority, swap prisoners and allow the free flow of aid — but stopped short of agreeing a ceasefire. The sides said they planned to reach a separate ”framework agreement” that would, eventually, set the scene for an end to hostilities and full talks.
The news of renewed bombing comes at a highly sensitive time for Sudan, as it waits for a decision from judges at the International Criminal Court over whether to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on charges of masterminding genocide in Darfur.
Sudan’s armed forces have acknowledged bombing rebels in the past, even though air attacks in Darfur are banned under United Nations Security Council resolutions and other accords.
Senior JEM commander Suleiman Sandal told Reuters JEM forces fought off an attack in the Jabal Wana area near El Fasher, capital of north Darfur state. — Reuters