Families say at least 27 killed in Darfur attack

By Opheera McDoom

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - At least 27 people were killed in government attacks on three West Darfur villages, their families said on Saturday, as they called for an end to raids which were leaving their homes in flames.

The Sudanese army said it launched the assault on Abu Surouj, Sirba and Suleia on Friday to rid the area of rebels from Darfur's Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). An army spokesman said one soldier and many rebels were killed, while four soldiers were injured.

The head of the Erenga tribe which dominates Abu Surouj and Sirba, Ishaq Nasir, said they had confirmed 27 dead, but expected the actual death toll to exceed rebel reports of 200. An exact number was hard to confirm because attacks continued, he said.

"These dead -- most of them are tribal leaders or teachers or people working for the state. Are these people rebels?" asked Yehia Mohamed Ulama, a tribal leader from Abu Surouj. He added that JEM had no troops in the area.

Ulama and other tribal elders had left their hometowns, now burnt to the ground, to come to Khartoum and complain about militia attacks last month. The visit saved their lives.

"If someone kills the leadership of the tribe they mean to wipe it out completely," said Bashir Ibrahim Yehia, a member of parliament for the area.

He said 90-year-old Erenga tribal leader Daoud Idriss was killed in his house with his entire family on Friday along with school teachers who were visiting them.

"Anyone who comes to power needs to rule with justice not with killing. These criminals need to be brought to justice," Yehia said, calling for a government investigation.