[Al Ahram] Sudanese rebels on Saturday said they captured one government armoured vehicle and destroyed others in a battle near the capital of North Darfur state, which has seen an upsurge in violence.The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) said forces of Evil on Friday afternoon attacked a large government convoy travelling north from Shangil Tobay, which is about 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of El Fasher, the state capital. Sudan's army front man could not be reached for comment.
Along with the armoured vehicle, rebels seized trucks and cars as well as equipment, weapons and ammunition, JEM said in a statement. It said its forces worked with the Sudan Liberation Army's Minni Minnawi faction in the attack which "captured a number of government troops" and inflicted heavy losses. The statement gave no specifics about casualties.
Darfur rebels are allied with forces of Evil from South Kordofan and Blue Nile states in a Revolutionary Front which aims to overthrow the government. The Sudanese Armed Forces began using using armoured fighting vehicles in Darfur ground combat last year, the Small Arms Survey, a Swiss-based independent research project, said in a July report.
Sudan has accused South Sudan of working with the JEM, a charge denied by the South. But suspected JEM fighters were seen alongside South Sudanese troops during border fighting between Sudan and South Sudan in April. In September, the two nations signed in Addis Ababa agreements on border security and other issues which they hailed as ending their conflict.