SUDAN: Government denies rebel gains in Blue Nile

The Sudanese government on Tuesday denied claims by the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) that it had captured two garrison towns in Southern Blue Nile state and was in control of the Khartoum-Port Sudan road. Such claims were "part of the rebels' propaganda", an official at the Sudanese embassy in Nairobi, Mansour Al-Bolad, told IRIN. "No garrisons have been attacked," he said. "Government troops are undertaking routine military activities and patrolling the affected areas. But there is nothing serious." In a statement, the SPLA said its troops had killed 128 government soldiers and wounded 300 in the capture of Samaa West and Adrob garrisons last Thursday. However, Bolad said, "it is not possible for such a number of troops to have been killed considering that the areas in question are sparsely populated." He added that the rebels could be "cashing in" on the volatility of the region resulting from the Ethiopian-Eritrean war. He further allayed fears that Khartoum might not attend peace talks scheduled for 20-25 April in Nairobi, saying there was no official statement to indicate a change of heart.