At least five people killed after attack on North Darfur IDPs camp
May 10, 2016 (EL-FASHER/KHARTOUM) – At least five people including two children were killed Monday in a attack carried out by gunmen on a displaced persons camp in North Darfur area of Sortoni near a UNAMID site.
The bloody attack was confirmed by two separate statements on Tuesday issued the hybrid peacekeeping operation in Darfur and UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan.
According to the UNAMID, a shooting over cattle raiding occurred on Monday “in the market area, some 300 meters from the Gathering Site”.
“Tensions in Sortoni have been escalating since 2 May when nomadic herders accused members of the displaced community of stealing their livestock and demanded the return of their cattle,” further said the statement.
The peacekeepers said they arrested two gunmen who will be handed to the Sudanese authorities in Kabkabiya.
The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Ms. Marta Ruedas, condemns the reported shooting and killing of civilians.
Since the start of hostilities between the Sudanese army and militants of the Sudan Liberation Movement – Abdel Wahid al-Nur in Jebel Marra in early 2016, Sortoni is hosting over 90,000 displaced persons.
CONFLICTING DEATH TOLLS
UN office in Sudan, UNAMID and Sudanese authorities released conflicting reports on number of casualties.
The UN office said six people including two children were killed, the UNAMID report that two children died during un attack on the IDPs camp while others three people were killed during the market shooting.
North Darfur authorities, also said five people were killed without elaborating.
UNAMID CRITICIZED
The North Darfur government criticized the peacekeepers for arresting the cattle herders and ignoring the gunmen from the other side.
Following a meeting with the UNAMID deputy head of North Darfur sector, the North Darfur Deputy Governor Adam al-Nahla said armed men raided some 40 heads of cattle and brought it to the IDPs camps.
“The herdsmen tracked the perpetrators until the camp where an exchange of fire took place inside the camp between the herders and the cattle raiders,” al-Nahala further said.
The deputy governor said the UNAMID peacekeepers intervened and arrested the herders only and didn’t detain the alleged perpetrators.
He further said the presence of arms inside the IDPs camp is unprecedented phenomenon in North Darfur.
(ST)