JEM: Sudan arresting Darfur civilians

Sudan's Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) has accused security forces of arresting 30 people in Gueraida, a South Darfur area attacked recently by Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) fighters. A joint rebel force of Abdel Wahid al-Nur and Minni Minnawi SLM factions attacked Gueraida on May 8 before to evacuate the area. The Sudanese army said its troops defeated the rebels but the latter said they pulled out. Gibreel Adam Bilal, a JEM spokesperson, said in a statement released Monday that security agents in Gueraida arrested 30 civilians including elders, political and human rights activists as well as women. He further said three among the detained civilians, two men and a woman from South Sudan her family settled in the area since over 60 years ago, were transferred to an unknown destination. The rebel official further urged the hybrid peacekeeping operation, UNAMID, to pressure the Sudanese authorities to release them. The three non-signatory rebel groups, JEM and the two SLM factions, formed last November an alliance pact with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North. Accordingly, the four rebel groups said aiming to topple president Omar al-Bashir’s regime. Tijani Sissi, head of Darfur Regional Authority told reporters on Monday following a meeting with the Sudanese president that the recent attacks by the rebel groups seek to undermine the implementation of peace in the region. He further said that Bashir pledged to provide the money his authority needs to enforce the peace deal. The president also promised to protect civilians who return to their villages in Darfur, Sissi added. The governor of North Darfur, Osman Kibir, on Sunday said they observed that rebels riding on over 40 vehicle arrived recently in the region from South Sudan to carry out attacks in the region