KHARTOUM — Darfur rebels who signed a peace deal with the government killed and raped civilians to try to force them to support the unpopular accord, human rights group Amnesty International said on Tuesday.
The African Union-brokered deal was signed in May by only one of three rebel factions —the Minni Arcua Minnawi group. Tens of thousands of Darfuris have protested against the deal, saying it does not meet their demands.
"Some 72 people were killed, 103 injured and 39 women raped in targeted attacks against civilians in the Korma region," said Amnesty in a statement.
The attacks were at the beginning of July in Korma, about 70 km (45 miles) northwest of el-Fasher, Darfur's main town. About 8,000 people fled their homes, emptying Korma.
"The attackers were members of the Minni Minnawi faction of the armed political group the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), reportedly supported by the Sudan armed forces and the Janjaweed," London-based Amnesty said.
Since signing the deal, Minnawi's troops have repeatedly been accused of imprisoning and torturing Darfuris who oppose it. Minnawi denies the reports.
But a U.N. helicopter in June airlifted elderly SLA official Suleiman Adam Jamous out of Minnawi's stronghold in Darfur where he had been imprisoned for weeks. Jamous had opposed Minnawi's leadership and the deal.
Amnesty further said a 7,000-strong AU force had not protected civilians and had not investigated the violence.
Some other rebel groups accuse the AU of losing its neutrality by housing Minnawi in their headquarters in el-Fasher, flying him in AU helicopters on demand around Darfur and allowing his troops to drive AU vehicles in el-Fasher town.
Amnesty said civilians had reported the attacks to the AU force on July 5, but the SLA had opposed the AU going to Korma.
Only an AU outpost in nearby Tawila had gone to Korma but it had not issued its findings.
SLA officials were not immediately reachable for comment.
"Brutally Beaten"
The AU released a statement in response to the Amnesty report saying SLA commanders had tortured an unknown man inside the SLA quarters in el-Fasher, giving credence to previous allegations.
"A middle-aged, unidentified individual was brutally beaten and blooded all over, including severe blows to his head, on two successive days, the 17th and 18th July," the statement said.
"Ali Mokhtar, the leader of the group, claimed that the victim was an SLA soldier under discipline. The fate of the victim is not known."
It added the SLA rebuffed AU attempts to intervene, dragging the victim back into their quarters.
"This incident lends credence to the previous incessant allegations," said the statement quoting AU special envoy in Sudan Baba Gana Kingibe. "He further demands a thorough investigation of this particular incident and the culprits made accountable," it added.
It made no mention of the Korma attacks.
Minnawi is expected to arrive in Khartoum on Saturday to focus on further implementation of the peace deal, which has been slow.
Tens of thousands have been killed and 2.5 million forced from their homes during more than three years of conflict in Darfur.
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