afrol News, 12 May - Sudanese Islamist opposition leader of Popular Congress Party has been released after he was arrested and interrogated for some hours about his connection with a rebel group that attacked the capital Khartoum.

Hassan al-Turabi - a former adviser and spiritual father of President Omar al-Bashir - was arrested alongside four other party officials on Monday. The arrests came after a Darfur rebel group, Justice and Equality Movement of Khalil Ibrahim unleashed armed attack on Khartoum on Saturday.

Sudanese security officials accused the PCP officials of involvement in the recent attack. The attack coincided with Mr al-Turabi's visit to his supporters in Sennar in the Central State.

Mr al-Turabi was earlier detained for more than a month after he had been accused of plotting to overthrow President al-Bashir from power.

The government said it had repelled the rebel attack. But since the attack, security has been beefed up in the capital, with armed men stopping and checking vehicles. A dusk-to-dawn curfew has since been imposed in the country.

It was reported that more than 40 rebels were killed in the attack. Many rebel fighters, including JEM leader, Khalil Ibrahim, are beleived to be hiding in civilian clothing.
A substantial amount of money has been offered for any information that leads to Mr Ibrahim's arrest.

Ibrahim had earlier described the weekend attack as "just the start of a process" to terminate the al-Bashir regime. The lifeless body of his right-hand commander, Jamali Hassan Jelaladin, was displayed on the national television.

The latest assault on Khartoum prompted Sudan to cut off diplomatic relations with neighbouring Chad, blaming the N'djamena of supporting JEM.

Sudan's Interior Minister, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamed, accused Chad of supporting "mercenaries" bent on hitting "Sudan in the heart."

Under the auspices of President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, the countries signed peace agreement in March committing themselves to prevent armed groups from operating along the common borders.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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