Darfur rebels clashed with government troops in South Darfur on Wednesday marking the resumption of fighting after heavy rains had largely subdued hostilities in Sudan's war-torn west.

Darfur jumped onto international agendas after a 2003 counter-insurgency campaign sparked one of the world's worst humanitarian crises as more than 2 million people fled a campaign of murder, rape and looting dubbed genocide by Washington.

Round after round of peace talks have failed to secure a lasting truce because of rebel divisions and continued military operations. Sudan has gradually reasserted control over much of the region and led a rapprochement with neighbouring Chad, isolating pockets of rebel forces largely cut off from support.

"The rebels attacked a commercial convoy...and the Central Reserve Police protecting the convoy engaged them, suffering several losses," Sudan's Ministry of Interior said in a statement.

It added the police were still chasing the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) forces.

Senior JEM commander Suleiman Sandal told Reuters from Darfur the government had attacked them in the east of South Darfur and they had routed the attackers.

"We have only a few injured," he said.

A fragile rebel coalition with few troops on the ground are talking to Khartoum in Qatar-based talks. JEM and the other main rebels, the Sudan Liberation Army, refuse direct talks although JEM went to Doha for consultations last month.

Khartoum came under fire in a U.N. report last month for using Chinese and other weapons in Darfur, despite an arms embargo on the region.

During a U.N. Security Council visit in October, Sudan announced an offensive on SLA stronghold Jabel Marra.

The United Nations estimates some 300,000 people have died in Darfur.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war crimes and genocide there, the first time it has indicted a sitting head of state.

Sudan blames the Western media for exaggerating the conflict saying only 10,000 died. It says the ICC has no jurisdiction in Darfur.

 

(Source: Reuters)