News Article by AFP posted on August 01, 2003 at 12:53:25: EST (-5 GMT)
Sudan rebels take town in Darfur, kill 510 government troops: claim
CAIRO, Aug 1 (AFP) -- Sudanese rebels have captured Kuttum, the second largest town in North Darfur state, killing more than 500 government troops in the process, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) said in Cairo on Friday.
SLM spokesman Ibrahim Ahmed told AFP by telephone: "The strategic town of Kuttum, the second town of North Darfur, is now in the hands of our forces. Five hundred and ten soldiers from the (Sudanese) regular forces were killed in the fighting and a large number wounded."
He incidated that 15 SLM men had also died in the onslaught.
Darfur is an isolated and partially desert region on Sudan's border with Chad.
The SLM began life as the Darfur Liberation Movement in August 2001 before re-emerging under its current name in February when it began claiming responsibility for a series of anti-government attacks.