KHARTOUM, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir announced on Sunday a decision to sever diplomatic ties with Chad, holding Chad responsible for an attack launched by Darfur rebels on the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Saturday.
"Sudan holds Chad responsible for what had happened and reserve the right for responding," the Sudanese president said in an address to the Sudanese nation.
He praised the position of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the police, various political parties and the Sudanese people, which, he said, had been "standing firmly over the Darfur issue and against the aggression".
On Saturday, a group of militants of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) infiltrated into Omdurman Area in northwestern Khartoum and clashed with the SAF troops and police forces.
The Sudanese government announced that the army and the police had crushed the attempt of the rebels to infiltrate into the capital and carry out sabotage activities there, killing and capturing a number of the infiltrators.
This was the first time for rebels in Darfur to enter Khartoum and launch attacks there since bloody conflicts erupted in the western Sudanese region neighboring Chad in February 2003.
The Sudanese government has repeatedly accused N'djamena of supporting and providing assistance to the rebel movements in Darfur, but the Chadian government has denied the accusation.
UNITED NATIONS, May 10 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon Saturday strongly condemned the attacks by a Sudanese rebel group on the country's capital Khartoum.
In a statement issued by his press office, Ban expressed "grave concern at the outbreak of fighting on the outskirts of Khartoum as a result of the reported attacks by Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) forces against the capital." Full story
YAOUNDE, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Chadian government on Saturday denied allegations of involvement in the attack by Darfur rebels on the Sudanese capital Khartoum, according to reports reaching here.
The Chadian government "denies any involvement in this adventure, which it condemns unreservedly," government spokesman Mahamat Hissene said in a statement released in the Chadian capital N'Djamena. Full story
WASHINGTON, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States Saturday condemned the rebel attacks in Sudan and called for an immediate end to the fighting.
"The United States condemns the recent attack by Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) forces in the area of Omdurman, near Khartoum," the State Department said in a statement. Full story
KHARTOUM, May 10 (Xinhua) -- A cautious calm returned to the Sudanese capital at midnight following a fighting between the army troops and rebels coming from the restive western Sudanese region of Darfur, in which a number of the rebels were killed.
Soldiers and policemen on armed personnel carriers and military vehicles were patrolling the streets while more troops were stationed along the main roads and important traffic points to safeguard the city. Full story
KHARTOUM, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Khartoum announced on Saturday evening that the Sudanese army and police had crushed an infiltration attempt of rebels coming from the restive western Sudanese region of Darfur.
In a statement, Police Spokesman Mohamed Abdel-Mageed al-Tayeb declared that remnants of the forces of rebel Khalil Ibrahim that attempted to infiltrate to the capital were "repulsed". Full story
KHARTOUM, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese government confirmed fighting taking place on Saturday between army troops and rebels coming from the restive western Sudanese region of Darfur in the capital Khartoum.
In a statement, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) said that the army troops "confront infiltrators of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in northern Omdurman area."Full story
KHARTOUM, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese government announced on Saturday a curfew in Khartoum only minutes after explosions and gun shots were heard in Omdurman area in northwestern Khartoum.
The Sudanese Ministry of Interior Affairs said in a statement that the curfew was imposed in Khartoum from 5 p.m. (1400 GMT) until 6 a.m. (0300 GMT).Full story
KHARTOUM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese army announced on Friday that it had received information of an imminent plot by a Darfur rebel group to attack the capital Khartoum and other major cities in the African country.
The army said in a statement that it has received information on "preparations made by rebel Khalil Ibrahim to conduct sabotage attempt and a publicity stunt through infiltrating the capital and other towns." Full story
