11 civilians killed in armed attack in Sudan's Darfur
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Xinhua, June 19, 2011
Eleven civilians were killed on Saturday in an armed attack by a rebel group in Sudan's Darfur region, reported Sudanese Ashrouq TV channel.
"Armed men attacked the area of Shangel Tubay, south of El Fasher, capital of North Darfur State. The attack resulted in the killing of 11 civilians and a number of injured ones. The attack was launched by elements believed to be belonging to the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) - a faction of Minni Arko Minnawe, the former senior assistant to the president," the report said. "The armed group entered Shangel Tubay area on board of 25 four- wheel drive vehicles, like the ones used by the Darfur rebels, besides a number of camels. A number of homes were burnt by the attackers," the channel quoted eye witnesses as saying.
In the meantime, no comment could immediately be obtained from the Sudanese army on the attack, the first of its kind since the endorsement of the Darfur draft peace agreement on May 30 by the mediation team which supervises the Darfur peace negotiations, hosted by Qatar in Doha.
The draft peace agreement comprised of seven chapters regarding participation in power and wealth, realization of reconciliation, justice and human rights, security arrangements, compensation and return of displaced persons and refugees to their home area.
However, major armed groups in Darfur rejected the endorsement of the draft peace agreement and insisted on their demands concerning giving the region the post of vice-president and paying individual compensation for the affected people in Darfur.
The Sudan government reject entering into any new negotiations with the armed groups rejecting the Doha forum, in particular the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA).
In 2006, the Sudanese government signed an agreement with a faction defecting from the SLA, led by Arko Minni Minnawe who had been Senior Assistant to the Sudanese President from 2006 until 2010.
Minnawe, however, differed with the Sudanese government over implementation of the agreement and signed an agreement with the SLA leader Abdul-Wahid Mohamed Nur on unification of the two armed factions.
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