Rebels from Sudan’s Darfur region have begun moving towards the capital Khartoum, their spokesman said Thursday, more than three years after they made an unprecedented attack on the capital.

“Now our troops are moving from Darfur in an easterly direction towards the capital Khartoum,” Gibril Adam Bilal, of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), told AFP from London.

“Our main fight with this government has already started.”

Sudan’s army spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment.

Bilal said JEM had reached En Nahud, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Darfur in North Kordofan state, on a mission to change the regime led by President Omar al-Bashir.

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Five suspected rebels and two civilians died in the clashes, the army says.

The BBC’s Mame Campbell Toure in Dakar says the recent upsurge in fighting has shocked people, as it follows a long period of calm.

The Casamance Movement of Democratic Forces (MFDC) has been fighting for the region’s independence since 1982.

A peace deal was signed with the largest rebel faction in 2004 and the level of violence had subsided.

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Many had expected that after the signing of the Arab monitor protocol by Damascus, there will be a decline in the intensity of the regime’s killing machine.

However, that did not happen. In the past two days, more than 200 people were killed, according to figures provided by human rights organizations.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights conveyed that more than 80 civilians were killed Tuesday afternoon after they were shot dead by Syrian security forces in different parts of the country.

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Notorious South Sudanese Rebel Leader George Athor was killed yesterday in a cross fire with the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) in Morobo county – says Vice President Dr Riek Machar.

Speaking to the press just an hour ago, Riek read said that, “On December 19th, 2011 an SPLA Border Patrol at Morobo County of Central Equatoria State clashed with elements that were in company of Lt. Gen. George Athor. This took place around 1800 Hours. George Athor and one other soldier were killed instantly.

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Kenya Air Force helicopters have destroyed Al Shabaab camps and killed several militants in Somalia.

On December 13 the military choppers destroyed al-Shabaab camps at Garbaguso, Afmadow airstrip and Usingo.

The raids were also conducted by the Navy, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) spokesperson Colonel Cyrus Oguna said during the weekly briefing on the progress of the Operation Linda Nchi in Somalia.

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Clashes have erupted along a key overland route that will link the Tavoy deep-sea port megaproject in southern Burma to Southeast Asian economies, once again highlighting the volatility of large-scale infrastructural ventures in Burma.

Burmese troops have been stationed along several locations between the port and the Thai border where work is underway to build a multi-lane highway to the town of Kachanaburi, and then on to Bangkok.

Fighting broke out on Tuesday last week close to the town of Myitta, through which the road will pass.

Territory controlled by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)’s Brigade 4 lies close to the region of Tavoy that is being transformed into Southeast Asia’s largest industrial complex, and the group has actively opposed the project:

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The SPLA forces killed 7 soldiers loyal to renegade General George Athor early this week after attacking the SPLA at Kir-Anyang Village of Jonglei State, the SPLA spokesman Col. Philip Auer Payang told Gurtong in a telephone interview.

“The fighting has also resulted into the killing of 5 SPLA forces even though SPLA managed to defeat the rebels and Kir-Anyang village is now under control with the surrounding areas,” Aguer said.

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