Sudan Liberation Movement

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Not to be confused with Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) operating in Southern Sudan.

The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army or (Arabic: حركة تحرير السودانḥarakat taḥrīr as-Sūdan) (abbreviated as either SLM or SLA) is a loose association of Sudanese rebel groups who fought against the Janjaweed militiamen and Sudanese government forces in the Darfur conflict. The Janjaweed are also responsible for widespread atrocities against Sudanese civilians in Darfur region.

Currently, it has largely divided into factions. The leader of the most brutal faction is Minni Minnawi and is now allied with the government. Other leaders of factions that continue fighting the government include Ahmed Abdulshafi Bassey and, the founder of the movement, Abdulwahid Mohamed Nour who is largely supported by the people of Darfur. Minnawi is hated by many people of Darfur including people from his own Zaghawa tribe.^{[citation needed]} The peace agreement that is signed by Minnawi's faction is widely rejected by the Darfurians and especially by the Fur, the largest ethnic group in Darfur. The Jebel Marrah ("bad mountains") is home of the Fur tribe and current strong hold for the Fur faction of the SLA, led by Abdul Waheed.

The Sudan Liberation Movement was known as the Darfur Liberation Front for a brief period of time after its emergence in February 2003. While the Darfur Liberation Front maintained a secessionist position, however, the Sudan Liberation Movement claims to have no secessionist intentions, and instead aims to overthrow the Khartoum regime and "create a united, democratic Sudan."

On January 20, 2006, SLM declared a merger with the Justice and Equality Movement to form the Alliance of Revolutionary Forces of West Sudan. However, by May of that year, the SLM and JEM were again negotiating as separate entities.

On 30 September 2007, approximately 1,000 Sudan Liberation Army rebels mounted a major raid on an AMIS base, claiming the lives of at least 12 peacekeepers and wounding many more. At least 50 personnel are as yet unaccounted for, presumed missing in action. The attack occurred just after sunset in the flashpoint, northern Darfur town of Haskanita, and comes amid increasing tensions and violence between the rebels and foreign peacekeepers, with the latter often accused of abrogating their neutrality and bias towards the central government^[1].