Central Darfur: 45 people killed in fresh tribal clashes
October 6, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – Forty five people were killed in fighting occurred last week between Misseriya and Salamat tribes in Central Darfur state where the two groups had already clashed several times since last April.
The fighting, which took place after the signing of a third reconciliation agreement on 10 September, put the number of internally displaced persons at 15,300.
“According to reports received by the UN, 45 people from the Misseriya and Salamat tribes have been killed over the past week during renewed fighting between the two tribes”, said OCHA in its weekly report of 29 September.
The bulletin said clashes took place on 26, 27 and 28, respectively in Muraya village, 40km east of Um Dukhun, in Sowarwaga village approximately 48km northeast of Um Dukhun and in Mukjar town, in Central Darfur.
“More clashes are possible as both sides are said to be mobilising for counter attacks in other parts of Central Darfur”, the UN cautions.
On 13 September, the UN had already warned of renewal of tribal fighting between the two ethnic groups saying that field reports show large mobilisation of armed groups in areas of Um Dokhon, Bendasi and Mukjar.
The Sudanese government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) estimated that 15,300 people have been displaced by the fighting between the Misseriya and Salamat since April this year.
The new displaced persons who arrived to Um Dukhun are from Magan, Kabar and Salaley administrative units and parts of Mukjar locality but there is no figures about their number.
The UN humanitarian office also mentioned that some people from the Salamat tribe fled to the neighbouring Chad from where they moved to Sudan recently.
UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were displaced by the tribal fighting in Darfur region .
Observers say the outbreak of fighting between the ethnic groups is mostly motivated by the control of water and resources mainly between the Arab tribes that formed the anti-insurgency militias.
(ST)