Seventeen rebels and 11 Sudanese soldiers have been killed in clashes in Darfur, the army said, days after Khartoum signed a goodwill agreement with an insurgent movement.
Sudan's armed forces spokesman said the army clashed with JEM in the Donki area on Thursday, just 25 km (15 miles) northwest of El Fasher, the capital of north Darfur and headquarters of the region's joint U.N./African Union peacekeeping force.
Brigadier Uthman al-Agbash told the Sudanese Media Center the army defeated the rebels and chased them to the mountainous eastern Jabel Marra area.
JEM commander Suleiman Sandal confirmed the Donki fighting but told Reuters the rebels had routed the army and chased their forces toward El Fasher.
Agbash said JEM forces had received supplies and support from the government of neighboring Chad, repeating charges made by Sudanese government officials last month.
Relations between the oil-producing neighbors are on a knife edge after Chad also said last month Sudan was backing a new insurgent coalition against the N'Djamena government.
JEM accused Sudan's armed forces of launching ground and air attacks on their positions on Wednesday, a day after the deal. The reports were denied by the army.
PHOTO CAPTION
Rebel fighters from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) riding on the back of a vehicle at an undisclosed location in Sudan's western Darfur region in April 2008. 
Reuters 
		

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