Sudan releases opposition leader, hunts rebels
KHARTOUM (AFP) — Sudanese authorities released Islamist opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi and four members of his party late Monday after detaining them for several hours, as they hunted down Darfur rebels who threatened again to attack Khartoum.
"Hassan al-Turabi was released as well as the four officials" from his party, said Awad Babakr, the director of Turabi's office.
But he added that 16 other officials were still detained and said that security forces had not explained why they were being held.
Two days after an unprecedented Darfur rebel attack on Khartoum, witnesses reported gunfire around the US embassy and said the military was heavily deployed in the twin city of Omdurman as the army searched for rebels.
On Saturday, Darfur rebel group the Justice and Equality Movement attacked Omdurman -- the first time regional rebels have brought decades of warfare so close to the seat of Sudanese power.
Militarily the most powerful rebel group fighting in Darfur, JEM shares the Islamist ideology of Turabi, although both he and the rebels deny any political links.
A friend-turned-foe of President Omar al-Beshir, Turabi last spent more than a year in detention after an alleged coup plot before his release in June 2005.
On Monday, witnesses reported isolated gunfire in central Khartoum not far from the main US embassy compound.
Local resident Saddiq Babo Nimir told AFP there were two shooting incidents in Omdurman, where he said thousands of soldiers were deployed in the streets with heavy weaponry and the bridges over the Nile to Khartoum were closed.
"There is shooting in the street. It is near the new bridge, all the people are running in the streets. The main road is closed and full of soldiers," he said after venturing out in the morning.
He said helicopters were patrolling and artillery, tanks, rocket launchers and land cruisers were deployed in main streets near the river.
The security services were firing at rebel remnants holed up in residential buildings and a curfew remained in force in Omdurman.
Analysts have warned against exaggerating the threat posed by JEM either to the government or the heavily fortified capital, suggesting that the rebels may be looking to improve their negotiating position.
"We are ready to face any rebel threat. We are also ready to hold negotiations with rebels at any place and time," Sudanese state minister for foreign affairs Ali Kerti was quoted as saying in Egypt by state media.
Sudanese security services have arrested more than 300 Sudanese and Chadians following Saturday's attack," said an official at the ministry, Ali Yousif.
JEM deputy chief of staff told AFP the movement had decided to abandon the fight in Darfur and take the battle to the capital.
"Just now I have troops there in Omdurman, divisions and so forth. I am rearranging my troops and gathering them," Suleiman Sandal said, adding that he was speaking from Omdurman.
"After that, if the government does not solve our problems -- does not give our rights -- we will arrange ourselves to attack Khartoum so as to attack the republican palace," he said referring to the president's residence.
"We will no longer fight in Darfur and the desert, we will fight in Khartoum."
Saturday's attack saw Sudan sever diplomatic ties with Chad, which it accused of backing the rebel assault.
Chad said it regretted Khartoum's decision, denied any involvement in the attack and condemned a raid on the Chadian embassy.
On Monday Chad closed its porous eastern border with Sudan "in order to avoid all infiltration and suspect traffic." It also froze economic and cultural ties.
The move aims "to ensure the security of its territory and citizens and protect its economic and cultural interests" and to "guard against all surprises," a government statement said.
The official SUNA news agency said the Sudanese military had killed a leading JEM commander and had chased down, fought and wiped out a 45-man rebel force 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Omdurman.
A senior official in the military command told the state SUNA news agency that 250 million pounds (123 million dollars) would be paid to anyone who captures JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim or provides information on his whereabouts.
Sudan's foreign ministry said it had evidence of communication between the rebels, the Chad government and the Chadian embassy in Khartoum.
