Sudan: Darfur rebels allow United Nations-African Union probe

(SomaliNet) While warning against stationing international troops in the region, Sudan’s Darfur rebels said on Sunday that United Nations-African Union peacekeepers could investigate attacks by the government on three West Darfur towns.

The Sudanese government, in its largest offensive in months, on Friday attacked Abu Surouj, Sirba and Suleia towns, forcing an estimated 200 000 from their homes - 12 000 of whom have fled into neighbouring eastern Chad.

\"If they want to come for an investigation they are welcome but they cannot stay - these are my areas and I am coming back to take them,\" Rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leader Khalil Ibrahim told Reuters by telephone from Darfur.

Earlier Ibrahim had said any troops from the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) sent into the area faced being attacked.

The joint force, which took charge of peacekeeping in Sudan\'s west on December 31, has already come under fire from government troops in the volatile area north of West Darfur state capital el-Geneina, an area which has seen the fiercest battles in recent months.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said about 12 000 Darfuri refugees had crossed into eastern Chad after Friday\'s air and ground attacks.

\"It\'s mainly men so far but they told us that more refugees are on their way, mostly women and children,\" UNHCR spokesperson Helene Caux said. She said they planned to move them to refugee camps further inside Chad already housing some 240 000 Darfuris.

A refugee from Sileah told UNHCR that ground attacks by the Janjaweed militia, allegedly supported by Sudanese Antonov aircraft, nearly destroyed Abu Surouj and reportedly caused heavy damage to four camps for internally displaced people.-Reuters