U.S. "concerned" at Sudan attacks, sends monitors
WASHINGTON, Jan 27 (Reuters) - The United States said on Monday it was deeply concerned at reports of a Sudanese government offensive against rebels in the south and was sending monitors to the scene to investigate.
The offensive would be a violation of the truce agreed in November by the government and the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army, and could damage the government's credibility in peace talks which resumed last week, U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said in a statement.
The rebels said on Monday the government had captured the southern town of Ler in renewed fighting which violated the cease-fire. The government was not immediately available for comment but aid workers confirmed there was heavy fighting in Western Upper Nile, the oil-rich region where Ler is situated.
Boucher said: "The United States is deeply concerned at the reports of a continuing offensive undertaken by the government of Sudan and its proxies ..., as well as the Government's continuing build-up of forces at garrisons in the south."
"Any ongoing offensive by the government in Western Upper Nile, as well as related build-ups of military forces at garrisons in the south, constitute a flagrant violation of the cessation of hostilities," he added.
"If these reports are true, Khartoum risks losing its credibility as a serious partner for peace with both the United States and the international community," he said.
Boucher said the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, the regional organization which is mediating the peace talks in Kenya, had asked a U.S. "civilian protection monitoring team" (CPMT) to investigate reports of the attack.
The United States set up the monitoring team last year under an agreement brokered by the U.S. presidential envoy, former Senator John Danforth.
"CPMT teams are presently en route to the scene of the reported attack," the State Department statement said.
01/27/03 17:06 ET
