Sudanese militiamen recover UNAMID’s stolen vehicles in S. Darfur
June 3, 2015 (NYALA) – The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has restored eight vehicles stolen from the hybrid peacekeeping in Darfur (UNAMID) by an unidentified militia in Jaraf area, 37 kilometer north east of South Darfur capital, Nyala.
He added that they thwarted the largest armed robbery attempt against UNAMID following fierce clashes with the armed gang in the jungles of Jaraf area which belongs to the locality of Al-Wihda.
“The (SRF) forces managed to recover UNAMID’s cars including 3 Land Cruiser vehicles and 5 trucks besides seizing 3 vehicles belonging to the gunmen,” he said
On the other hand, the commander of the Sudanese army’s sixteenth infantry division, Maj. Gen. Adil Hamad al-Nil, said the army, after it crushed the rebellion, targeted groups of outlaws in order to achieve security and stability in the state.
He added that armed militias continued to carry out looting, kidnapping and killing attacks while the army was busy fighting against rebel groups, warning the outlaws that the RSF would always be lurking for them.
Hamad al-Nil pointed they received preliminary information from a border guard station about suspicious movements, saying the army and the police informed the RSF which in turn moved quickly and defeated the armed group.
He stressed that maintaining security of the people is their top priority, noting that regular forces have been deployed across the state to secure the farms and villages of voluntary return.
The military commander further pointed that the security committee in the state is well informed about the dense of the crime in South Darfur.
Composed of former militia groups in Darfur and Kordofan regions to fight rebel groups across the country, the RSF currently operates under the command of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) and in coordination of the Sudan Armed Forces.
The SRF forces, themselves, are accused of committing war crimes and atrocities against civilians in Darfur and South Kordofan.
The acting governor of South Darfur state, Omer Mohamed al-Bashir, for his part, emphasized that the perpetrators neither belong to the rebel groups nor have tribal affiliation.
He told the pro-government Sudan Media Center (SMC) that the gang is comprised of 12 people, pointing they all worked for the UNAMID.
Al-Bashir underscored the perpetrators will be brought to a prompt and fair trial in the coming days according to the emergency law imposed since last July.
He urged the UNAMID to reconsider some of its contractors, stressing the perpetrators serve agenda of the rebel groups who have recently suffered serious defeats at the hands of the regular forces.
It should be recalled that South Darfur, at the difference of some other states, is witnessing few rebel activities. However the state is known for criminal activities and robbery committed by armed gangs.
In a bid to curb criminal activities, the state authorities in July 2014 declared an indefinite emergency situation in South Darfur state, including a curfew from 7pm to 7am (local time) in the capital Nyala.
(ST)