KHARTOUM—Sudanese government aircraft, army and militia attacked two towns in West Darfur state on Friday, causing heavy civilian casualties, Darfur rebels and witnesses said.
"The government attacked the town of Abu Surouj this morning ... a direct attack with cars and horses and bombardment," Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) commander Abdel Aziz el-Nur Ashr told Reuters from Darfur.
"Also, as I am speaking to you, they are attacking Sirba town." He said initial estimates put the death toll at around 200 but it was hard to tell because the attackers were still in the towns.
A West Darfur government official confirmed the attacks but could not give details. Residents of el-Geneina, the state capital, told Reuters they could hear Antonov planes flying nearby and had seen helicopters.
Darfur rebels say they control the area north of el-Geneina, where they have often fought army troops, and which aid workers have been forbidden from entering.
Ashr had said previously that the rebels had expected the attacks as Khartoum had again mobilised militia groups, known locally as Janjaweed, in the area.
The militia stand accused of widespread atrocities and the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for a junior cabinet minister and an allied militia leader accused of war crimes. Khartoum refuses to hand them over.
U.N. Urgest Restraint
The Sudanese army said it had attacked the area to move JEM out because the insurgents had been ambushing their forces. But it denied killing any civilians.
"The armed forces attacked the areas where the rebels are and they have rid them of the area totally," an armed forces spokesman said. Two other rebel groups also said the nearby Chad-Sudan border area of Jabel Moun was also bombed.
Commander of the joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur Martin Luther Agwai said in a statement he was very concerned about the government attack, urging all sides to show restraint.
"In addition to the loss of life and damage to property, there is the potential for displacement of large numbers of villagers, compounding an already critical humanitarian situation," he said.
The force, still awaiting an agreement from Khartoum on its operational rules due to be signed on Saturday, according to UNAMID, has only 9,000 of its required 26,000 troops and police.
It also lacks attack and transport helicopters. Ethiopia said on Thursday it would provide five of the required 24.
Witnesses said the attacks were similar to those in the early days of the Darfur conflict in 2003, when Khartoum mobilised militias to quell mostly non-Arab rebels who took up arms in western Sudan, accusing the government of neglect.
"First of all I saw two helicopters and Janjaweed on horses and camels, after that I saw cars," said Abu Surouj resident Malik Mohamed, who escaped during the attack early on Friday.
"The helicopters hit us four times and around 20 bombs were dropped," he told Reuters by telephone.
His voice breaking, he said he had no idea where his family was. "I am outside the city and can see burning. They (the attackers) are still inside."
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