Seven killed in fresh tribal violence in North Darfur state

August 17, 2022 (AL FASHER) – Seven people were killed and dozens injured when gunmen stormed a number of villages northwest of Kutum in North Darfur state, on Monday and Tuesday.

Abkar Doreen, a community leader in North Darfur, told Sudan Tribune that attacks began on Monday when the bodies of two men members of the Arab tribes had been found near Senana village.

The police and the Native Administration were informed of the incident, and the dead were transferred to Kutum. However, the families and relatives of the victims carried out revenge attacks on the villages nearby the area of the bloody incident.

The assailants burned four villages forcing the villagers to flee.

“So far, seven dead including wounded who were executed while they were being transported to Kutum for treatment,” said Doreen.

On Wednesday, the North Darfur government confirmed that seven people were killed during the attack.

The state authorities pointed out that those who carried out the attacks sought to destabilise security and bring the war to the region.

Doreen in his statements to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday blamed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for their inaction to protect civilians.

“Eighteen RSF vehicles came to the area, but they did not intervene despite seeing the attackers on motorcycles and others riding in four-wheel-drive vehicles,” he said.

He said that dozens are missing, including women, children and the elderly, who have not yet been found.

Mohamed Hamdan Daglo spent about two months in the western Sudan region, particularly in West and South Darfur to end violence between the different tribes.

The Sudan Liberation Movement Transitional Council (SLM-TC) accused the RSF of colluding with the groups that carried out the attack.

The peace signatory group said some RSF troops had blatantly sided with their tribes.

In statements to Sudan Tribune, Ahmed Gedo SLM TC military spokesman said that armed militias had abducted 9 people, including two affiliated with their group, some of whom are still being held.

Gedo confirmed that four villages were burned and looted livestock.

He accused unnamed parties of seeking “to drag the region into a new strife”. Also, he said they will not be part of any tribal conflict and confront those who try to spread chaos in Darfur.

“Leniency towards outlaw groups would lead to a civil war,” he stressed.

For their part, the Darfur Lawyers Association issued a statement condemning the resumption of violence in the region.

The advocacy group said that the attackers included people using four-wheel-drive vehicles equipped with weapons and dressed in uniforms of official forces.

The North Darfur government on Wednesday stated that the State Security Committee held a series of meetings during the past two days and took several decisions.

“The state government deployed a joint force in the area of the incident. The state government has taken all necessary measures to restore the rule of law and contain the situation,” reads the statement.

Pursuit operations are now underway to arrest all those suspected of involvement in the incident, further added the statement.