The Sudanese army says it attacked a rebel stronghold in the Darfur region, sparking clashes that killed 25 rebels and two government soldiers.
Army spokesman Sawarmy Khalid said in a statement Friday that soldiers attacked fighters with the Abdelwahid Nur faction of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army. The rebel group is split into two rival factions.
The spokesman said the attack was part of an operation to open roads and secure villages in Darfur's Jebel Marra area.
Reuters news agency reports that an SLA commander, Ibrahim el-Helu, confirmed the fighting but characterized it as an army attack on villages. He said eight villages have been burned and that 13 in all are now deserted.
Fighting in Darfur has raged since 2003, when rebel groups began an uprising in response to what they called Sudanese government neglect of the region.
The International Criminal Court has indicted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes and genocide against Darfur's civilian population.