Six killed in fresh tribal clashes in East Darfur

April 8, 2017 (ED-DAEIN) – Six people were killed and several others injured Saturday in clashes between Rizeigat and Maalia tribesmen in Al-Khamsat area, 66 kilometres south-east of Ed-Daein, East Darfur state capital.

Maalia chief Hamdi Bashar told Sudan Tribune that outlaws from the Rizeigat tribe killed two herders from the Maalia clan of Agarba and stole their cattle.
He pointed the villagers pursued the perpetrators and clashed with them, saying four of the culprits have been killed and a number of the villagers were injured.

Bashar stressed that crowds from the two tribes began to gather at Bakhit and Al-Ishairat areas, warning against renewal of large-scale clashes.

He pointed the security organs were quick to deploy military troops to separate the two tribes and prevent further clashes, calling on the government to move quickly to end the renewed crisis and impose the authority of the state and the rule of law.

East Darfur state is witnessing one of the longest and most deadly clashes in the region between the Rezeigat and the Ma’alia tribes since 1966. The conflict between the two tribes is triggered by disputes over land ownership and theft of cattle.

Both the Rezeigat and the Maalia are pastoralist tribes, based in East Darfur. The centre of Rezeigat territory is in Ed Daein town, while the Maalia centre is in Adila, the second largest town after Ed-Daein.

Tribal fighting occurs frequently in several regions of Sudan, including Darfur where over 300,000 people were forced to flee their homes.

In 2013, president Omer al-Bashir said he will personally oversee the dossier of the tribal conflicts in the country to seek a resolution to its growing prevalence.