Washington, DC — "We are not going to operate any camps to train terrorists in our country," Sudan's ambassador to the United States, Khidir Haroun Ahmed, told allAfrica.com. "But the Sudanese people are very angry."

Khidir was responding to news reports quoting the commander of Sudan's Popular Defence Forces (PDF), Maj. General Ahmed Abbas, speaking in a nationally televised address this weekend, as calling for a "holy war" in support of embattled Palestinians and for "freeing the Aqsa mosque from Zionist filth."

According to Ambassador Khidir, negotiations leading to a withdrawal, as proposed by Saudi Arabia is the best way out of the escalating conflict. But he added: "What Israel is doing reminds us of colonialism in many, many ways."

Anger and protest at Israel's military offensive against Palestinian cities in the West Bank has risen across Africa - especially in countries with significant muslim populations - over the past week.

The general reportedly said that camps had been set up in response to an order issued by Sudan president Omar Hassan al-Bashir to train volunteers to join the fight against Israeli military occupation. "The training camps are ready to recive volunteer fighters as from today, Saturday," he is quoted as saying. No details were offered and the way in which PDF troops might be deployed to fight Israeli soldiers has not been explained.

"Emotions are running very, very high," said Ambassador Khidir. "Out of this anger people might say something that cannot really be materialized," he offered as one possible explanation of General Ahmed's language. Nonetheless, the call for Sudanese fighters raised enough concern in Washington for the State Department to ask Ambassador Khidir for an explanation on Monday.