Darfur rebel leader in Sudan killed

Dr. Khalil Ibrahim in field

The Darfur rebels Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) has confirmed and vowed to avenge the killing of its leader Khalil Ibrahim, alluding to foreign involvement in his demise.

Meanwhile, JEM’s account of how its leader was killed has contrasted with that of the Sudanese government which moved to beef up security in the capital Khartoum and prevented the slain leader’s bereaved family from receiving condolences.

News of Khalil’s death was first announced to the media at a late hour on Saturday by Al-Sawarmi Khaled Saad, the official spokesperson of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF).

According to Sawarmi, Khalil died on Saturday’s afternoon after succumbing to a severe injury he sustained during clashes earlier on Thursday between his forces and those of SAF in Wad Banda area in North Kordofan State which neighbors Darfur.

While JEM kept saying that its forces were moving towards the capital Khartoum, SAF claimed that Khalil was killed as he was leading his forces towards the newly independent Republic of South Sudan, which Khartoum routinely accuses of aiding Darfur rebels.

Abdallah Masar, minister of information and Sudanese government spokesperson said Sunday in Khartoum that Khalil Ibrahim was heading to Juba to attend a meeting of the leadership of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front which is planned to take place in Kampala on 28 December.

JEM, and the Sudan people’s Liberation Movement-North, and two factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur and Minni Minnawi forged an alliance aiming to topple the Sudanese regime last month.

In a press conference he held later on Sunday in Khartoum, Al-Sawarmi detailed their account of Khalil’s death, saying that he sustained a deep wound “during clashes” with SAF forces on Thursday and afterward was evacuated by his forces to Um Gurhuman area and later to an area called Al-Mazra’ah where he died.

He further said JEM rebels had buried him in the same area on Saturday’s evening.

But the rebels offered a different account of their leader’s death, saying he was killed in a sophisticated air strike bearing the hallmarks of foreign quarters.

In a somber statement issued on Sunday, JEM’s spokesperson Gibreel Adam Bilal, confirmed reports of the leader’s death.

The statement said that Khalil was “martyred” along with one of his guards at 3 am local time on Friday by a missile attack launched from an unidentified jet fighter with a level of precision unknown to the Sudanese army’s air forces.

“This indicates a collusion and conspiracy by some quarters in the regional and international milieu with the regime of genocide in Khartoum,” stressed the spokesperson.

JEM’s statement omitted to mention the location of burial but Sudan Tribune’s sources said that Khalil’s body was interred where his convoy was attacked in south east of Nyala, the provincial capital of South Darfur State.

The statement disputed the account given by SAF, saying that there were no clashes between the rebel force travelling with Khalil Ibrahim and the army.

JEM’s spokesman threatened to bring double retaliation against the “murderers” of the later leader. “Those who assassinated him will pay double price,” he declared.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune, Gibreel asserted that JEM will keep on the fight in order to topple down the regime of the National Congress Party through the armed struggle.

“We spoke in the past about the political and military means to overthrow the regime but from now onwards the gun will be our sole voice with the regime,” he said alluding to a new stance on the peace process taken by the rebel group.

“By this plot, Khartoum opened the door for political murders. They have to get ready for that and assume the consequences of theirs action,” he warned.

Meanwhile in Khartoum, the authorities intensified deployment of police forces and cracked down on a crowd gathered at a morning pavilion setup by Ibrahim’s family which resides in one of the sprawling capital’s remote suburbs.

Eye witnesses in Khartoum told Sudan Tribune that police forces had surrounded the house of Khalil’s family in Id Hussain suburb on Sunday and fired teargas to disperse dozens of people who turned up to offer condolences.

In response, the witnesses added, the crowd was shouting “Martyr martyr, Khalil is a martyr.”

Among those who arrived at house of Khalil’s family to offer condolences were the two daughters of the prominent Islamist leader Hassan Al-Turabi who is alleged to have links with Khalil and his group.

Khalil Ibrahim’s successor?

Ibrahim’s demise at the age of 53 has given rise to various speculations as to who will succeed him in the helm of the heavily armed rebel group which he founded and led since 2003.

In reference to this point, JEM’s spokesman mentioned in his statement that the movement’s legislative council would designate an acting leader who will arrange for a vote to elect a new leader after two months.

However, sources close to JEM told Sudan Tribune that Ibrahim’s deputy, Ahmad Bakhit, had good chances of acceding to the movement’s throne. Other sources however favored JEM secretary for foreign relations Gibril Ibrahim, who also happens to be the brother of Khalil Ibrahim.

Reference: Sudan Tribune