Two farmers killed at voluntary return village in Central Darfur

August 6, 2018 (ZALINGEI) – Two farmers have been killed and one seriously injured on Sunday in an attack by unknown gunmen against Kambo Di village for voluntary return, 5 kilometres west of Zalingei the capital of Central Darfur State.

In a statement seen by Sudan Tribune, IDPs and Refugees Committee in Central Darfur said 6 gunmen at 2:00 am (local time) on Sunday opened fire at Kambo Di residents killing two and injuring one.

It pointed out that the dead persons are identified as Khadiga Adam Salih and Adam Ibrahim Abdel-Karim while Mariam Adam has sustained serious injuries.

An official source told Sudan Tribune the security organs have immediately deployed troops to the incident scene, saying, 5 suspects, have been captured and transferred to Zalingei prison to conduct criminal proceedings.

Meanwhile, hundreds of IDPs have attended the funeral at Hasahesa camp graveyard amid widespread condemnation of the incident.

Several villages of voluntary return have been attacked by gunmen who refuse to allow farmers return to their original areas and use their farmland.

Last June, 8 people were killed and 7 others injured seriously by unidentified gunmen at Higair Tunu village for voluntary return, 29 kilometres south-east of South Darfur capital, Nyala.

Since the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur in July 2011, the government constructed several villages and vowed to support IDPs who return to their home areas.

However, the displaced complain that the security situation remains the same pointing to the government militia saying they continue to attack them and grab their land.

Last August, the Sudanese government launched a campaign to eliminate illegal weapons in the conflict-affected areas in Sudan.

The Sudanese authorities say the spread of weapons among the rival tribes in the region is one of the main causes of Darfur’s instability.

UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the Darfur conflict since 2003, and over 2.5 million are displaced.

(ST)