September 12, 2007: Members of
the Darfur rebel group SLM/U (Sudan Liberation Movement-Unity) accused the
Sudanese Air Force of bombing the town of Haskanita. The attack involved
helicopter gunships as well as Antonov transports dropping bombs from a high
altitude.
September 9, 2007: UN
sponsored negotiations over Darfur will begin at the end of October in Libya.
The new UN-African Union peacekeeping force (AU/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur)
will be called UNAMID (also UNAMID-Hybrid).
September 8, 2007: Soldiers
ended the siege which had held 61 south Sudan militiamen hostage. The soldiers
surrounded the south Sudan fighters on September 7. The siege action took place
in South Kordofan. The SPLA (Sudan Peoples Liberation Army) said they might retaliate unless the
government issued an apology. The SPLA also said that UN peacekeepers
helped end the siege. The army claimed that the south Sudan (SPLA) contingent
had violated the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). This confrontation
is one in a continuing series between the south Sudan government and the
Sudanese (national) military over the implementation of the troop withdrawal
requirements of the CPA. The withdrawals were supposed to occur before July 9,
2007. They have not. The old 1956 north-south Sudan border is the designated
withdrawal line, but South Kordofan is part of a "transitional zone" that is
subject to "integrated patrols" (ie, units with both northern and southern
forces). After the siege in South Kordofan was lifted, the government claimed that the SPLA fighters were operating
north of the 1956 line. The south Sudan government (which is now called a
"semi-autonomous government) has asked former Kenyan president Daniel arap Moi
to serve as a "special envoy" to keep the CPA peace process on track. Moi is
believed to have influence with both northern and southern leaders.
