Sudanese rebels 'reach Khartoum'

Sudanese troops have clashed with rebels from Darfur outside the capital, Khartoum, reports say, prompting an overnight curfew in the city.

The rebels announced that their forces had taken nearby Omdurman and were now fighting in the city, but the government said they had been defeated.

Sudan's army had been preparing for a possible attack on the capital after detecting a heavily-armed rebel column.

Correspondents say this is the closest the rebels have ever been to Khartoum.

A curfew has been imposed from 1700 local time (1400 GMT) until 0600 on Sunday, and roads and bridges over the Nile are reported to be closed.

The BBC's Amber Henshaw, in Khartoum, says the atmosphere in the city is tense.

Chad bases

Army vehicles and an attack helicopter were seen rushing towards the area of the fighting. It was not clear if there were any casualties.

The rebels, from the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) also claimed to have taken the Wadi Saidna air force base about 10 miles north of Khartoum, although this was unconfirmed.

"We are now trying to control Khartoum," a Jem spokesman told Reuters news agency. "God willing we will take power, it's just a matter of time.

"We have support from inside Khartoum even from within the armed forces."

But a presidential spokesman later told the BBC the rebels had been defeated and the situation was under control.

The Jem is one of several rebel groups fighting the government and pro-government Janjaweed militia in the western Darfur region since 2003 over alleged discrimination by the authorities in favour of Arabs.

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

An army spokesman said that the rebels had crossed into Sudan from bases in Chad, and had moved through Darfur towards Khartoum.