Gunmen kill civilian in South Darfur area

May 3, 2018 (NYALA) – A civilian was killed and two others were injured following an attack by gunmen targeting returnees to the village of Abu Jabra south of Nyala, capital of South Darfur state.

A local leader told Sudan Tribune on Thursday that gunmen attacked the returnees late on Wednesday and shot them on the grounds that the area belongs to the Falata tribe while the returnees are from the Mahadi tribe.

Last April, a group of armed men attacked a voluntary return village in Katila, southwest of Nyala, killing and wounding six returnees, including Native Administration leaders.

The returnees complained from the lack of security and call for drastic measures against the gunmen.

Such attacks force the returnees to renounce their plans and regain displacement camps but the authorities seek to encourage them to stay. Local police tasked with their protection say they do what they can but point to the lack of means.

South Darfur, despite the sporadic violence, is witnessing a large voluntary return operation of the civilians displaced who left their areas of origin 15 years ago after the improvement of the security situation.

The state of South Darfur is witnessing a large voluntary return movement of displaced persons to their villages of origin for agriculture, especially after the relative stability of the security situation in Darfur.

(ST)