VZCZCXRO9438
OO RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1574 1861445
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051445Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3533
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001574 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS SOCI AU UN SU
SUBJECT:  SLA/NRF Statement on Hamra al-Sheikh Attack 
 
Ref:  Khartoum 
 
¶1.  Reftel detailed the July 3 rebel attack on the North Kordofan 
town of Hamra al-Sheikh and the subsequent interest by the GNU to 
gain support in condemning the incident.  On July 5, two Sudanese 
Liberation Army (SLA) field commanders associated with Abdel Wahid 
but claiming to speak for the National Redemption Front (NRF) posted 
the following notice on its website in Arabic: 
 
(Begin text - unofficial Embassy translation) 
 
The National Redemption Front 
 
Military Announcement # 1 
 
The forces of the National Redemption Front have captured the 
strategic town of Hamrat Al-Shiekh in North Kordofan on Monday, July 
3, 2006.  Hamrat Al-Shiekh is situated 200 km northwest of Khartoum. 
 Our forces were able to destroy two brigades of the regime's forces 
that were located there as a front defense line to protect Khartoum, 
the capital.  The National Redemption Front forces were also able to 
destroy the security and police forces located in the area.  Our 
forces gained all the military equipment of the regime forces and 
captured many of its defeated elements.  Now the National Redemption 
Front forces are on their way toward Khartoum, the capital. 
 
The National Redemption Front gives this victory as a gift to all 
the people of Darfur and to all the marginalized people of Sudan as 
well.  This is to rebut what is said that peace and tranquility were 
achieved in the country. 
 
The National Redemption Front would like to confirm that the 
struggle will continue until the racial cleansing regime in Khartoum 
is uprooted. 
 
Commander:  Abdalla Banda Abbakar 
Thuraya:  008821630001181 
 
Commander:  Adam Bakhet 
Thuraya:  008821630000410 
 
The liberated zone - Hamrat Al-Sheikh 
 
July 3, 2006 
 
(End text) 
 
¶2.  Comment:  Both signatories to this statement are SLA - Abdel 
Wahid field commanders; even so, the statement was released under 
the heading of "National Redemption Front," despite that fact that 
Abdel Wahid is not a party to the recently formed group.  The 
document bears two SLM seals, one in English and one in Arabic.  End 
comment. 
 
HUME