Darfur Janjaweed destroy a village in North Darfur

Dec 26, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The Khartoum backed militia is still waging attacks against the civilians in Darfur. A UN team reported last week that Janjaweed militia looted and burned a village in North Darfur.

A joint UNMIS and OCHA assessment mission on 23 December visited the village of Abu Sakin in North Darfur. The village was found to be completely deserted and looted, with more than 50 houses burned to the ground, the UNMIS bulletin reported Tuesday.

“There are reports that Arab militia continue to loot and patrol the area to deter villagers from returning. There are reports that several thousand villagers are hiding in nearby hills;” the bulletin said.

Government police and National security have stepped up the number of road blocks in El Fasher (North Darfur), following the shooting on 23 December of a police officer and an increase in the number of carjackings.

Last month, the African Union blamed Khartoum for worsening security situation in Darfur. The African Union said on Saturday 16 November the situation in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region was worsening due to the return of re-armed Janjaweed militia and Khartoum’s resolve to use military force.

“The security situation in Darfur is fast deteriorating mainly because of the re-emergence of Janjaweed militias,” said an AU communique issued at the end of a meeting on Darfur.

“(They) seem to have been supplied and rearmed and have been carrying out nefarious activities with impunity in parts of Darfur, particularly in areas controlled by the government of Sudan.”

The statement added that another cause for the decline was Khartoum’s insistence on a military option to quell the conflict.

(ST)