Sudan accuses Chad of supporting Darfur rebels

The Sudanese armed forces on Thursday accused Chad of supporting Sudanese rebel groups in the western region of Darfur, which have rejected to sign peace accord with the government and continuously attacked military and civil targets.

In a statement, the armed forces' spokesman Osman Mohammed al- Aghbash accused the Chadian government of delivering support to the rebel National Redemption Front (NRT), which captured several Sudanese soldiers during recent fighting near the borders.

"The armed forces have been closely observing the Sudanese- Chadian borders and are absolutely convinced that the Chadian forces provided direct support to the NRT in the latter's attacks on the Kari Bari area on Oct.7," said the statement.

It noted that camps had been set up to train the Darfur rebel militants at the Chadian town of Bahay and Tina with the helps of senior Chadian officials.

Some Sudanese soldiers were captured by those militants after escaping into Chad following the fighting in Kari Bari, while some Chadian officers who took part in the fighting were also killed by the Sudanese armed forces, according to the spokesman.

Meanwhile, Sudanese Defense Minister Abdul-Rahim Mohammed Hussein has disclosed that a Sudanese brigadier general, who was captured by the Chadian police, has been handed over to the Darfur rebel forces.

UN humanitarian agencies have reportedly confirmed the fighting in areas near the Sudanese-Chadian borders between the Sudanese government forces and the rebel groups which have refused to accepted a peace agreement signed between the government and a main rebel faction in May.

The fighting have led to casualties on both sides and more refugees escaping across the borders, the UN agencies said in a report.

Source: Xinhua