Sudan: July 20, 2000

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Looks like Sudan's Khartoum government has gone back to air raids. A Roman catholic bishop told western journalists that a Khartoum government aircraft attacked the town of Rumbek on July 2. Two people were killed and 23 were wounded. The AFP report said the plane was an Antonov. On July 17 AFP quoted a Red Cross source as saying a Khartoum government plane attacked the village of Chelkou. The source said the plane dropped 14 bombs. Three bombs hit Chelkou's airfield, and damaged a Red Cross plane. A Red Cross clinic also suffered some damage. Once again, it appears the Khartoum government is using transport aircraft as high-altitude bombers. FYEO suspects that even with up-to-date fighter-bombers, the level of training of Sudanese air force pilots is so low that the bombing attacks would be inaccurate and ineffective. The air attacks do harass and terrorize civilian populations, but seem to have little effect on the SPLA.