THE hijackers of a Sudanese plane with more than 100 passengers on board have said they are from a hardline Darfur rebel group, the director of Libyan airport where the aircraft stopped said on Wednesday.

The hijackers, who had not previously identified themselves or made any demands except for fuel, have said they belong to the Sudanese Liberation Army faction of Abdel Wahid Mohammed Nur, who lives in Paris, and apparently want to fly there, said the director of the Kufra military airport in southeastern Libya.

'The plane's pilot has indicated that the pirates, who number 10 or maybe more...have said they belong to the Sudanese Liberation Army of Abdel Wahid Mohammed Nur,' Mr Khaled Saseya was quoted as saying by the Libyan official news agency Jana.

The pilot said 'the pirates claim to have coordinated with him (Nur) to join him in Paris,' he added. -- AFP