Armed men kill several villagers near North Darfur capital

December 23, 2014 (EL-FASHER) – Gunmen killed at least seven people near the capital of North Darfur state after a farmer refused to allow them to graze their cattle on the land during the harvesting season.

The incident took place on Monday at about 5pm (local time) in Sambo village, located 11km north-east of El-Fasher.

The police on Tuesday said that eight people were killed based on personal motives, ruling out any involvement of paramilitary forces in the attack.

Meanwhile, state governor Osman Kibir has condemned the “heinous crime” and announced the arrest of three assailants, saying they seized their weapons and have “irrefutable evidence” proving their involvement in the crime.

Kibir added that main suspect is determined and his cattle is impounded.

He stressed the government’s keenness to bring the culprit to justice, to ensure the security of the state citizens during the crazing period and to avoid frictions between pastoralists and farmer.

UK-based advocacy group SUDO UK has also condemned the attack, saying it had been carried out by Janjaweed militia. It further said seven people were killed and five others injured.

The group called on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to “exercise its duties by the establishment of an effective mechanism to protect civilians in Darfur as UNAMID is failing to give security or protection to farmers and other civilians”.

SUDO UK has named the seven victims as:

Ishaq Ahmed Abdul Rasul, 49
Rasha Ishaq Ahmed, 19
Umgomash Ahmed Abdel-Rasoul, 38
Aisha Mohammed Abaker 37
Rehab al Gali Abdul Khair, 27
Ali Muhammad Ali, 11
Abuasaara, 37

(ST)