Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) Blamed on Haskanita Attack

Suleiman Jamous, a member of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) Unity faction which is one of two groups accused of the attack, said if his faction was involved in the attack it was a local decision, not ordered by the leadership.

"I have asked the leadership of SLA Unity to withdraw all the troops from the area, to where they can be under the direct control of the military command," Jamous said.

SLA Unity and a breakaway faction of the Justice and Equality Movement
(JEM) led by Bahr Idriss Abu Garda have forces in the Haskanita area.

Other JEM commanders said Abu Garda and a SLA Unity commander had the stolen AU vehicles.

SLA Unity military chief Abu Bakr Kadu has denied his forces had attacked the AU base, saying the African troops may have been caught in the crossfire between fighting with the army.

The Rest @ Reuters Africa