15 people killed in tribal fighting, Darfur rebels say
March 4, 2010 (DOHA) — The Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Al Nur (SLM-AW) said today tribal clashes between two Arab tribes in West Darfur State led to the death of 15 people and accused Sudanese government of instigating the violence.
The tribal clashes between Arab Aballa and the Arab Misseriya in Khaur Ramla west of Nertiti in West Darfur started on Wednesday, said the SLA-military spokesperson, Nimir Mohamed Abdel-Rahman in a statement released today.
“The tribal fight that started yesterday caused the death of Umda of Arab Abballa Maharia clan known as Umda Aldawai and 14 others from both sides, while the fighting is still continuous,” read the statement.
The rebel group said concerned by the tribal violence and accused the Sudanese government of being behind this fighting of the two tribes, as part of its part of divide and rule policy.
The Sudanese government since last summer carries out regular air and ground attacks on the position of the rebel SLM-AW group but denies it saying the violence is erupted in the region due to bloody fighting between SLA-AW factions.
UNAMID said today the security situation remains uncertain in Jebel Marra adding the fighting triggered displacement to a number of villages and displaced camps mainly in Nertiti, Guldo and Thur, in West Darfur.
The official SUNA reported Thursday that the UNAMID force commander, Lieutenant General Patrick Nyamvumba and undersecretary of the foreign ministry, Mutrif Siddiq, discussed the surge of violence and humanitarian situation in Jebel Marra.
It further said the two parties agreed to conduct a joint assessment mission to the affected areas to identify the needs and expand the action of humanitarian groups in the region.
The hybrid mission, who remained silent on the parties involved in the clashes, said according to information collected from traditional leaders in the region, the number of new IDPs in Thur has reached 7000 persons.
The SLA-AW called on the warring parties to cease immediately the clashes and also urged the UNAMID to “immediately investigate and work to end up the current fight before it expands to create more chaos in the region”.
(ST)