KHARTOUM, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir ruled out on
Wednesday any further talks with Khalil Ibrahim, leader of the rebel Justice and
Equality Movement (JEM) which launched a sneak raid on Khartoum on Saturday.
Addressing a gathering named "March of Victory and Support" organized by
the National Congress Party and participated by hundreds of thousands of the
ruling party's supporters at central Khartoum, the Sudanese president termed
Ibrahim as "a traitor who has sold himself to the Zionism and the Crusade."
"We are seeking peace, but there is no place (on the negotiation table) for
an agent and a traitor who has sold his nation, his people, his tribe and all
his values and principles," al-Bashir said.
"Who bought them these cars (used in the Saturday attack), who bought them
the weapons, who helped them and who financed them to terrorize the citizens and
dream to rule the country?" he asked.
Al-Bashir hailed the victory over the rebels, saying the Armed Forces, the
police and the security forces has the ability and readiness to "confront any
aggressor, any agent, any defector, any traitor or a fifth column."
The Sudanese president also hailed all the political forces for their
standing beside the government in defending the homeland and the national
principles, and praised the friendly countries and their leaders who made
contacts to congratulate the Sudanese people on repulsing the aggression,
assuring them Sudan was secure and united.
On Saturday, a group of the JEM rebels infiltrated into Omdurman area in
northwestern Khartoum, as the movement claimed publicly that the assault was
aimed at oust the president.
After some five hours of fierce fighting, the Sudanese government announced
that the army and the police had crushed the attack, killing and capturing a
number of the rebels.
This was the first time for rebels in Darfur to enter Khartoum and launch
attacks there since bloody conflicts erupted in the western Sudanese region
neighboring Chad in February 2003.
