20101209
Sudan Tribune

Khartoum — Sudanese army clashed today with troops loyal to the former Darfur rebel leader Minni Minnawi heading to southern Sudan, Sudan's military spokesperson said today

Al-Sawarmi Khaled, Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) spokesperson accused Minnawi of moving his troops to southern Sudan in order to prepare for war. He also said that are now a target for the Sudanese army.

"We are searching for them and will engage them," he said.

Speaking to Reuters on Thursday 9 January six days after, SAF spokesperson, said without elaboration that the Sudanese army clashed with Minnawi forces.

"There were clashes and we defeated them yesterday," Sudan's army spokesman al-Sawarmi Khaled said. "They were heading south and we attacked them. They have many wounded."

Sawarmi did not give further details about where the attack occurred.

Sudanese government accuses the ruling party in Juba, SPLM, of harboring Darfur rebel groups saying the separatist movement projects to use them in the future to destabilize northern Sudan in the future.

Sudanese presidential assistant and leading figure in the ruling National Congress Party Nafei Ali Nafei in an interview with the pan-Arab Al-Jazeera TV disclosed that they had delivered documents proving their accusations to South Sudan leader Salva Kiir.

But he added that Kiir dismissed these evidences which include the names of SPLA officers dealing with the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), lists of Darfurian leading rebels and their whereabouts. Sudanese government and Minni Minnawi signed the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) on May 5, 2006 after one year of talks in Nigeria but the other rebel groups refused it.

The two parties failed to implement the deal as attacks and violence continues in the region since 2006.

Minnawi stated on Thursday that he has to intention to declare war against Khartoum. He further said his movement is ready for war if Khartoum seeks it.

"The door to dialogue will remain open if the government wanted it, but we will not seek it and we are not those who need it."

A government semi official media organ (SMC) said last week that Minnawi was advised to attend the conduct of southern Sudan referendum before to engage war with Khartoum.