Sudanese army on Darfur offensive

The only Darfur rebel faction to sign a May 2006 peace deal with Khartoum says it is under attack from government forces and allied Janjaweed militia.

Khalid Abakar, of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction led by Minni Minnawi, said the town of Muhajiriya, which they control, was half-burned.

The SLA told the BBC the assault was a continuation of a Sudanese army offensive on Haskanita.

That town was burned down and looted while under government control.

It followed the attack on an African Union base on 29 September in which 10 AU troops were killed.

The BBC's Amber Henshaw in Khartoum says it appears fighting in Muhajiriya is ongoing.

The SLA rebels told our correspondent that they came under fire from government planes, after which mixed government forces and militias engaged their men.

Most rebel groups and the government have committed themselves to take part in new peace talks in Tripoli expected to begin later this month.