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| Sudan rebels accuse government of slaughterNAIROBI, Kenya (Reuters) -- Sudanese rebels Tuesday accused the government of carrying out widespread reprisals against suspected rebel sympathizers in eastern Sudan after a major battle last week. A statement from the main rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), said government forces had embarked on a "mass killing" of black Africans around the town of Kassala. Rebels from the umbrella National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which includes the SPLA, last Wednesday said it had captured Kassala, close to the Eritrean border, but said its forces withdrew a day later. The government said 130 people were killed in fighting for control of the town, and Sunday it said it was launching an investigation into the rebel attack. Rebels have fought Sudan's Islamist government for 17 years for autonomy for the mainly Christian and animist black African south from the Arabized north. "Reports reaching us from eastern Sudan indicate that the National Islamic Front regime has embarked on mass killing of people from southern Sudan, Nuba Mountains and black people from western Sudan," SPLA spokesman Samson Kwaje said in the statement released in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. "As of now, hundreds of them have already been killed, while other reports put the number slaughtered in the thousands," the statement added. There was no immediate comment from the government. Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. RELATED SITES: See related sites about Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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