The Sudan Liberation Army (SLA, not to be confused with SPLA) attacked El Fasher the capital of Darfour on Friday April 25. Troops took the airport. They destroyed 5 military aircraft, seized 4 armored tanks, wiped out positioned artillery and captured army headquarters. Government sources report 75 killed, a significant number of wounded and 32 prisoners taken, including a major general of the Air Force. The rebels lost 20. The situation had returned to normal by the following day. A spokesman for the SLM/A said that this was their response to Bechir’s statement, “Negotiations would take place over their dead bodies”. The rebels captured an intelligence officer, and his land rover seized along with military gear abandoned by the fleeing troops (AFP, AP, Radio NDA).
Rebel forces also attacked the town of Maleith in Northern Darfour. They took over the police station, the bank, the customs post, the market and food stocks. Normality was quick to return. (DPA 05 11).

The Sudanese Minister of the Interior asked of the 23 other federated states additional police to cover the 3 States of Darfour (AFP 05 15).
Sudanese armed forces bombarded a rebel camp on May 26, killing 6 rebels and a number of prisoners of war including two officers (AFP 05 27).
The SLA/M said that it destroyed a battalion in the region of Kutum, killing 500 men and taking 300 captives (AFP 05 29), a claim refuted by Khartoum (AFP 05 31).