125 killed, 50,000 displaced in Sudan’s West Darfur area: OCHA
June 15, 2022 (KULBUS) – At least 125 people were killed and an estimated 50,000 others displaced during a recent inter-communal violence in Kulbus locality of Sudan’s West Darfur region, a United Nations agency reported.
The UN humanitarian agency (OCHA) said the conflict, between June 6 and 11, also saw many homes destroyed, livestock looted and food stolen.
On June 6, it stated, clashes erupted between the Gimir and Rezeigat communities in Um Hereez village in Kulbus locality of West Darfur. The conflict reportedly erupted following a dispute over land ownership between a Gimir and an Arab man. Both were killed in a gunfire exchange.
“The Gimir community reported 101 of their people killed and 117 injured while an Amir of the Arab stated that 25 Arabs were killed and 16 injured during the clashes. In addition, nine Gimir people were abducted while in a convoy traveling between Saraf Omra and Kulbus and are still missing,” OCHA noted in a recent update on the conflict in Kulbus locality.
It added, “These conflicts have delayed planned humanitarian assessment and response missions to Kulbus, Jebel Moon, Sirba and Kereneik localities due to insecurity,”
In Kulbus, the main livelihood activities of the Gimir are farming, trading and livestock, while the Rizeigat/Aballa are camel herders and agro-pastoralists.
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), about 5,000 people in Kulbus were in crisis and above levels of food security between October 2021 and February this year.
(ST)