Darfur rebels retreat from Khartoum

Suleiman Sandal, a Jem commander, told Western news agencies on Sundaythat his forces were prepared to attack the capital again.

"This was just practice," he told the Associated Press by telephone.

"We promise to hit Khartoum one more time unless the [Darfur] issue is resolved."

Speaking to AFP, Mr Sandal said his forces had engaged in urbanwarfare for the first time, and had suffered casualties. He gave nodetails.

"Now we are gathering our troops and thinking about what we're doing," he added.

Experts say Chad and Sudan are fighting a proxy war using each other's rebels to achieve their military objectives.

The Jem is one of several rebel groups fighting the government andpro-government Janjaweed militia in the western Darfur region since2003 over alleged discrimination by the authorities in favour of Arabs.

The rebels have been involved in raids on government forces in the area before.

A senior official said searches were under way in Khartoum forindividuals thought to be insiders who may have helped the insurgents.

State television said earlier that at least 100 people had been arrested.

A rebel commander said the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) fighters was ready to strike again.

Sudan's government has also cut off diplomatic ties with Chad, blaming it for helping rebels launch the attack.

Both Chad and the Jem denied working together to launch the assault onOmdurman, which the rebels said they had taken control of.