Sudanese army says 60 rebels killed in battles in South Kordofan

Sudanese army said on Tuesday that it had killed 60 rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector in recent clashes in Sudan's South Kordofan State, Sudan's Ashrooq Net reported.

"The army killed 60 rebels, destroyed a vehicle and confiscated two others during the recent battles at Kalougy and Al-Rahmaniya areas in South Kordofan," Ashrooq quoted Khalid Abdin, commander of the 1st infantry division of the Sudanese army, as saying.

"The army controlled the two areas after they were attacked by the rebels," he noted.

He further accused the rebel forces of killing the helpless citizens at those areas and looting and burning their homes.

Last Thursday, the Sudanese army announced that it repulsed two attacks by the rebels against the two areas and inflicted heavy loss among them.

South Kordofan government earlier said the rebels had killed 40 civilians during the attacks and forced 5,000 others to displace to Abu Jibaiha area.

The central government has been fighting the rebels of the SPLM/northern sector at South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas since 2011.

Last Thursday, the spokesman of the SPLM/northern sector Arno Taloudy reportedly said in a statement that the movement launched a military campaign to cripple the general elections, which are slated for April this year. Endit