Sudanese army rejects RSF accusations of fuelling tribal conflict
October 14, 2023 (NYALA) – The Sudanese army denied accusations by the Rapid Support Forces that the military intelligence fuelled the bloody tribal conflict in large areas of South and Central Darfur states.
Last August, violent fighting broke out between Al-Salamat and Beni Halba, in Kabm and Um Labasa localities of South Darfur state. It expanded to include large areas, and the fighting was renewed in a harmful manner last Friday in Central Darfur.
This conflict led to the deaths of large numbers on both sides and the displacement of thousands after their villages were burned.
On Friday, activists broadcast video clips showing the RSF participating in the fighting. The videos show armed men from the two tribes wearing the uniforms of the paramilitary forces, using military vehicles equipped with modern weapons, and participating in fierce fighting.
It is worth mentioning that the elements from the tribes are part of the RSF troops participating in the attack on Khartoum last April.
An SRF field commander, who spoke to Sudan Tribune, accused military intelligence of fuelling the conflict and being involved in thwarting a peace agreement and cessation of hostilities brokered by the RSF on August 30.
“A few days after this reconciliation agreement, the Military Intelligence instigated its elements in the Arab tribal militias in Central and South Darfur to attack the Beni Halba areas, causing many casualties and burning more than 15 villages.”
He revealed the arrest of armed groups in the Kabar area of Um Dukhun locality in Central Darfur state, who admitted to receiving military support from the Military Intelligence to ignite tribal conflicts and thwart reconciliation efforts.
He confirmed that the RSF Command assigned the tribal leaders of Al-Ta’isha, Al-Falata, and Al-Tarjum, among others, to lead mediation efforts to end the conflict between Al-Salamat and Al-Bani Halba, and to hold a final reconciliation conference on October 18 in Kass locality in South Darfur state.
In statements to Sudan Tribune on Friday, Sudanese army spokesman Brig Gen Nabil Abdallah stressed that “the accusations directed at military intelligence of being behind the civil fighting between Al-Salamat and Beni Halba are tendentious.”
He noted that throughout their history, the armed forces had been working to cohesion the social fabric of all components of Sudanese society. He pointed out that the scope of tribal confrontations expanded following the emergence of the RSF, which is accused of arming Arab tribes in Darfur.
Military and civil sources told Sudan Tribune that the security and humanitarian conditions in Central Darfur state have deteriorated over the past five days in light of the renewed violent clashes and the continuation of mobilization and counter-mobilization by both sides of the civil fighting.
They revealed that on October 8, armed men from the Beni Halba attacked villages inhabited by Al-Salamat in the Bindisi and Mukjar localities in Central Darfur. The assailants committed widespread violations amounting to war crimes and ethnic cleansing, according to the sources.
Many villagers fled the attacks, some of whom took refuge in the neighbouring countries of Central Africa and Chad, while others wandered in the forests amid extremely complicated circumstances.
War Crimes
An activist in Al-Salamat tribe, Salem al-Nu, reported to the Sudan Tribune that the clashes between the Salamat and Bani Halba have continued for the third month after the failure of the efforts of the traditional leaders.
He said the attack on Al-Salamat villages in the presence of the Native Administration delegation last week portends the failure of a reconciliation meeting scheduled on October 18 in Kass in South Darfur, under the RSF auspices.
Al-Nu called on the RSF to withdraw their soldiers participating in the fighting alongside their tribes before seeking reconciliation between the two tribes.
He noted that the attack on Al-Salamat claimed the lives of large numbers and displaced thousands due to the use of heavy weapons and warned against providing tribes with to kill innocent people
The Beni Halba tribe, one of the largest tribes in South Darfur, announced on June 4, along with other ethnic groups in the state, their support for the Rapid Support Forces in their war against the army.
(ST)