Government force seizes weapons cache in South Darfur

August 10, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – A joint force from the army, police and security services have arrested a number of outlaws and captured large amounts of weapons and unregulated motorcycles in South Darfur State.

Commander of the Sudanese army’s 16th Infantry Division Khalaf Allah Abdallah Idris said the move comes within the framework of the ongoing disarmament campaign to maintain security and stability in South Darfur

He expressed determination to eliminate all forms of negative phenomena in the community including the proliferation of illegal weapons and impose the authority of the state.

In August 2017, the Sudanese government launched a six-month disarmament campaign to eliminate illegal weapons in the conflict-affected areas in Sudan, particularly the Darfur region.

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.

The Sudanese army has been fighting armed groups in Darfur since 2003. UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the conflict, and over 2.5 million were displaced.

(ST)