khaleej times Wednesday, May 20, 2009 “We are assured the government of Sudan is trying hard to mend fences with the government of Chad.” 21 — arab league secretary-general amr moussa region Sudan Accuses Chad of Aiding Rebels el fasher (sudan) — Sudan’s week, calling the raids an “act of war” forces with JEM. Our armed forces topofficial in North Darfur accused against the state of Sudan. have stopped the aggression.” Chad on Monday of sending troops However,this was the first occasion Chadian President Idriss Deby intohis territory to fight alongside in recent times that it had said Chadian has ethnic links with JEM’s leader Darfur rebels, raising the stakes in the ground troops had breached its border. Khalil Ibrahim and many of his top simmering tension between the two UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commanders and Khartoum regularly African countries. repeated his call for all parties to cease accuses its neighbour of supporting the North Darfur governor Osman Ke- fighting, according to a statement from rebel force. bir said Chadian forces had reinforced UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe. AmrMoussa,secretary-generalofthe fighters from Darfur’s rebel Justice “(Ban) underscores that there is no Arab League, said he remained hopeful and Equality Movement (JEM) in an military solution to the situation in the about the prospects for peace in Darfur, attack on the strategic town of Kornoi sub-region and urges the governments despite an increase in violence along on Saturday. of Chad and Sudan to refrain from any the Chadian border. Sudan accused Chad of carrying out act that maylead to afurther escalation “We are assured the government of three air strikes on its territory last of tensions,” Okabe said. Sudan is trying hard to mend fences Chad said on Sunday it had carried with the government of Chad to move out the air raids, and fought near Su- toward alow intensity situation,” he dan’s border,todestroy anti-Chadian told reporters at the end of his delega- insurgents it said were taking refuge in- tion’s one-day visit to El Fasher. sideSudan.Ithassofarnotcommented Jean Ping,chair of the African on Saturday’s ground attack on Kornoi. Union Commission, declined to com- “Chadian aggression has reached ment on the reports of Chadian in- North Darfur governor the locality of Kornoi, a town near the volvement in Sudan. Osman Kebir said Chadian border,” said Kebir, speaking About 4.7 million people rely on through a translator as he addressed humanitarian aid in Darfur, a conflict Chadian forces had a delegation of the leaders of the Arab in which UN officials say as many as reinforced fighters from League, the African Union Commis- 300,000 people have died in almost six sion and the Organisation of the Islam- years of ethnic and political violence. Darfur’s rebel Justice ic Conference. Khartoum says 10,000 people and Equality Movement “Kornoi has been attacked by Chad have died. — Reuters Merchant Who Went to Battle cairo — The first Darfur suspect to Abu Garda formed his own break- appear before an international court away JEM faction, called the collective was once aprominent leader in the leadership. But the fall from grace with war-torn region’s most powerful JEM has cost Abu Garda prestige and rebel group who broke away to form foot soldiers, since most fighters chose his own faction. to stay with JEM, the region’s most Bahr Idriss Abu Garda voluntarily powerful rebel force. handed himself over to The Hague- According to Jamous, the split took based International Criminal Court, place shortly before the attack against where he faces charges of murder and apeacekeepers base in the northern pillaging in a 2007 attack against peace- Darfur town of Haskanita, in which Abu keepers in Darfur. Bahr Idriss Abu Garda. — AP Garda is accused. The court has indicted two other That was one of the deadliest attacks rebel figures. It has also issued an order gime in Khartoum but soon became ever against peacekeepers in Darfur: for the arrest of the rebels’ opponent, disillusioned with it, accusing it of dis- 12 peacekeepers were killed, eight Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir,on crimination against Darfur’s ethnic Af- were severely wounded and the rebels charges of genocide and war crimes in rican population. looted weapons, equipment and money the Darfur war, in which up to 300,000 He became an early member of the from the base. people have been killed since 2003. Islamist-leaning Justice and Equality Last year, Abu Garda formed another Al Bashir has refused to cooperate Movement, whose leader, Khalil Ibra- rebel group, known as the United Re- with the court. him, was once agovernment official in sistance Front, which includes Darfur Abu Garda, a native of Darfur from the northern-led regime. Arabs opposed to Khartoum. the prominent Zaghawa tribe, was once Abu Garda rose in the ranks of JEM Jamous and JEM field commander a merchant who headed the Chad of- to become its secretary general. But in Suleiman Sandal say Abu Garda’s group fices of the government-run Sudanese 2007, he fell out with the group. Sulei- has no presence on the ground in Dar- Gum Arabic company. He was among man Jamous, a JEM member, said Abu fur and has little sway on the conflict. many young black Darfuris who once Garda didn’t take criticism well from “He has no other option” but to sur- backed the Islamic fundamentalist re- the group’s leaders. render, Sandal said from Darfur. — AP.