afrol News, 30 July - Sudan's special court has sentenced eight Darfur rebels of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) found guilty of launching deadly assault on Omdurman, Khartoum's twin city in May.

One suspect was not found guilty of several charges, including those relating to anti-terrorism and treason while a 16-year-old defendant has had his case deferred to the minors court.

The application of the sentences need to be approved by Sudan's highest courts and President Omar al-Bachir.

The defense team said it will appeal against the Khartoum North court verdict.

Over 200 people were reported to have been killed in the May assault, which gave the government license to beef up security and arrest large number of people, including top opposition figures.

Leader of JEM, one of the several rebel groups fighting the government and pro-government Janjaweed militia in Sudan's western Darfur region, was accused of leading the deadly assault. Sudan has offered US $250,000 as ransom for information on the whereabouts of Mr Khalil Ibrahim who was reported to be in a safe location in Darfur.

Mr Ibrahim has escaped arrest, but one of his relatives Abdul Aziz Ashur is already in the government's net, though he is yet to be tried.

The Omdurman attack had shaken diplomatic relations between Khartoum and N'djamena after the former accused the later of backing the rebels. Sudanese President also accused the "internal elements" of conspiring with the rebels, and blamed the Israeli government of financing the JEM attack.

Khartoum officials were so enraged by the attack that they suspended dialogue with the rebel movement.

Shortly after the attack, UN Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno was "deeply disturbed" by the deterioration of security situation in Sudan.

"We are very concerned that the movement of significant numbers of JEM fighters from Darfur all the way to Khartoum went undetected and took both UNAMID and the Government by surprise," Mr Guéhenno had earlier told the Security Council.

"The incident underscores the serious shortfalls in the Mission’s resources, especially aerial reconnaissance capabilities," he said, adding that fears were allayed at a time when Sudanese armed forces bombed rebel positions and villages, targeted banditry on UN staff and eruption of violence between different rebel groups escalated in the region.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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