Basher orders disarming Darfur militias

KHARTOUM, August 14 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – As Sudan stressed Saturday, August 14, its ability to establish security and stability in Darfur, doubts overshadowed forthcoming peace talks between the Sudanese government and the Darfur rebels in Nigeria.

In a radio address marking the golden jubilee of  Sudan's armed forces, Sudanese President Omar Al-Basher said his government is able to restore peace and security in the Sudan's troubled region of Darfur, Agence France Presse (AFP) said.

"We are capable of reining in the sedition in Darfur and restoring security and social peace and maintaining the country's unity and sovereignty."

Basher accused some foreign parties of trying to incite seeds of sedition in Sudan through exaggerating reports about the situation in the Sudan 's war-torn Darfur.

"They kindled sedition in Darfur so as to ... deny Sudan the fruits of peace and of contribution by the international community in development of the regions affected by the war."

The Sudanese President had ordered Thursday, August 12, the tribal leaders in Darfur to form a security force to start disarming militias in the strife-torn region.

Beshir had earlier accused the United States and  Europe of exaggerating the situation in Darfur in a bid to divert attention from violence in Iraq and the Palestinian territories.

On Sunday, August 8, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mostafa Othman Ismail accused Israel of fueling tensions in the troubled western Sudanese region.

Rebels Put Doubt On Peace Talks

Rebels in Darfur may put peace talks in limbo

Amid conflicting reports on the fate of peace talks, due in Nigeria on August 23, between the Sudanese government and the Darfur rebels, informal talks began Thursday in Libya to discuss means of establishing peace and security in the troubled region.

"A reconciliation meeting has been in progress since yesterday evening at Syrta in Libya between the two Darfur rebel movements, the Sudanese Government, the African Union (AU) and the Chadian foreign minister," the Chadian diplomatic source told AFP.

The rebel faction, Movement for Justice and Equality, says it is prepared to restart talks with the Sudanese government, but that it may not be able to make it to Nigeria for the scheduled date.

The other rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Army, cited concerns over traveling to Nigeria during the rainy season as its reason for not attending.

Both groups had abandoned similar talks last month in Ethiopia, after the Sudanese government rejected their preconditions.

Saudi Aid

Humanitarian aid keeps arriving in Darfur

On the humanitarian front, Saudi Arabia said it has allocated 40 million riyals ($10.7 million) as humanitarian aid to the residents of the war-torn area of Darfur.

"The kingdom has allocated 40 million riyals worth of basic humanitarian aid to the region of Darfur. This includes food and medicines," Abdul Rahman Al-Sewilem, the head of the Saudi Red Crescent, was quoted by AFP as saying.

He said three aircrafts will fly for Darfur Sunday carrying 70 tones of food and medicines along with a medical team for helping the Darfur inhabitants.

The Saudi humanitarian aid comes as part of an Arab effort to ease the humanitarian crisis in the region.

Egypt has sent a medical convoy to Darfur   May 5, becoming the first Arab relief aid to the region in 10 years.

Kuwait has earlier sent its second aid convoy  to Darfur , including fifteen tones of tents, 40 tones of corn products and 20 tones of wheat, for distribution among the local inhabitants.

This came days after a Kuwaiti Muslim relief group sent aid to the war-torn region to counter blooming proselytizing activity under the guise of humanitarian relief.

Reports about the number of people killed in the conflict in Darfur vary widely from 10 to 50 thousands.

Some 1.2 million people have reportedly been driven from their homes since a revolt against the government broke out in February 2003.