Sudanese army kill two villagers in North Darfur – rebels

September 25, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — A Darfur rebel group accused the Sudanese government of killing two people in an attack carried out in North Darfur, while the peacekeeping mission reported firing of rockets in South Darfur.

Despite the deteriorating humanitarian conditions where the displaced civilians in Darfur camps receive a third of their needs since more than a year ago, the security situation according to the UNAMID witnesses a relative improvement.

Inter-tribal violence had diminished in recent months and the “number of overall fatalities in Darfur fell from 2,321 in2010 to 724 thus far in 2011,” said the hybrid peacekeeping mission in a briefing to a meeting of the tripartite mechanism in New York this week.

However, the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) said government troops ridding four vehicles killed two people and wounded 20 others in an attack on Kroya Laban, a village located in the eastern part of the restive region and depending from North Darfur state.

El-Rayah Mahmoud, SLM-MM vice-chairman, said in a statement released from Kampala that the attack took place on 23 September and since four villagers are missing. He further accused the state governor of ordering the assault.

The rebel official also urged the UNAMID to investigate the attack.

In a media brief released Sunday, the joint operation said a Sudanese army gunship helicopter fired two rockets around Umgafala village, about9 km north of Khor Abeche, South Darfur.

However, the UNAMID said no human or material casualties reported.

The hybrid mission for the second time this week spoke about tensions between nomads and farmers.

The latest reported incident was a clash in Tamaru village, 25 kilometers northeast of Saraf Umra, North Darfur, on 22 September where three farmers and two nomads killed and two farmers injured.

The dispute over water and pasturages between farmer and nomads is seen as the major causes of the eight year conflict in Darfur but rebel groups also insist on political and economiccauses.

(ST)