South Darfur dispatches security reinforcements to protect commercial convoy
April 19, 2003 (KHARTOUM) – The government of South Darfur has sent security reinforcements to protect a commercial convoy coming from the state capital of eastern Darfur, Ed Daein amid increasing incidents of looting and robbery by armed groups.
The governor of South Darfur, Abdl Karim Musa Abdel-Karim, said that local authorities has sent security reinforcements to protect the arrival of a commercial convoy consisting of 11 trains which left Ed Daein on Tuesday.
Abdel Karim praised efforts exerted by the governor of East Darfur, Abdel Hamid Musa Kasha to send the convoy, noting that security reinforcements left the capital of South Darfur, Nyala for the town of Silaia to receive and accompany the convoy which is expected to arrive in Nyala on Friday.
The convoy which contains diesel and gasoline for Nyala power plant is expected to end the suffering of the city which has been living without electricity for 25 days.
The governor revealed that additional trains packed with furnaces and diesel, as well as large amounts of sugar are coming to Nyala from the western Kordofan city of Babanousa and North Kordofan city of Al-Obied, adding that these quantities would solve the fuel problem.
Darfur has been a flashpoint for lawlessness and violence since rebel movements took up arms against the Khartoum government in 2003.
Late last month, a Sudanese paramilitary force attacked El-Geneina bus stop market in Nyala, robbing merchants and bystanders, according to eyewitnesses.
In March, a cargo train which was on its way from Nyala, capital of South Darfur state to the city of Daein in eastern Darfur was attacked by unidentified armed robbers near Khor Taan area which is located 60 km east of Nyala.
An eyewitness told Sudan Tribune that the group seized the train’s fuel after firing shots on the engine, thus disabling and destroying large parts of it.
(ST)