Sudan accuses Chad of cross-border attack

Sudan has accused neighboring Chad of a cross-border attack earlier this week that a top commander says killed at least 18 nomads in Sudan's western Darfur region.

Khartoum summoned the Chadian ambassador to Sudan on Saturday to protest what it called a cross-border attack by Chadian armed groups that killed at least 18 Sudanese civilians, official SUNA news agency reported.

During the meeting, Sudanese acting Foreign Minister Ali Al-Sadiq demanded Chad arrest the assailants and return the hundreds of stolen camels as soon as possible, according to SUNA.

For his part, the Chadian ambassador said his country would spare no effort in maintaining and developing relations with Sudan in a manner that serves security, peace and stability and "will not allow whatever may disturb this relationship to happen."

A day earlier, Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council said Chadian armed groups killed 18 Sudanese civilians and stole 220 camels in an attack in a border village in Sudan's West Darfur State on Thursday, the sovereign council said in a statement.

Sudan has called on Chad to find the attackers and return the looted livestock.