When is a Ceasefire not a Ceasefire

On November 12, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir announced an immediate, unilateral ceasefire in Darfur. Unfortunately, two days later, rebels reported Sudanese government air attacks in North Darfur.

On Friday, November 14, Sudanese Air Force airplanes and helicopters bombed near the settlements of Kurbia and Um Mahareik, North Darfur. There were no reported injuries in the air attack, which allegedly targeted SLA fighters in a largely civilian area. On Saturday, JEM rebels reported another ceasefire violation, near Tina, North Darfur. In this attack, JEM forces repulsed Sudanese army forces, with limited casualties on both sides.

The UNAMID mission is investigating both attacks, attempting to verify the recent fighting. Meanwhile, rebel leaders blamed Khartoum for violating the terms of its own ceasefire. The Sudanese government denied violating the ceasefire, stating that its forces clashed with bandits. This is particularly notable as a ruling-party official said that the ceasefire did not apply to armed bandits operating in Darfur. It is yet unclear how Sudanese forces determined that the combatants in question were bandits.

- Josh Kennedy, Education Associate