Darfur rebels kill nephew of a Janjaweed leader, other attacks – UN

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Feb 3, 2005 (AP) — Darfur rebels have reportedly killed the nephew of an alleged leader of the Janjaweed, the militia accused of the bulk of the atrocities that have driven nearly 2 million people from their homes in western Sudan, the United Nations said Thursday.

The report was one of a series of attacks in Darfur in the past few days that the U.N. office in Khartoum listed in a statement.

The statement said members of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army are reported to have ambushed and killed Omar Hilal, the nephew of Musa Hilal, and a friend on Jan. 30. No further details were given.

Spokesmen for the Sudan Liberation Army could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Musa Hilal is an Arab tribal leader from the North Darfur town Mistiria who is believed to have mobilized a force of about 2,000 militiamen in response to a government call for help in putting down a rebellion launched by the Sudan Liberation Army and another Darfur group of African origin in February 2003. The militia came to be known as the Janjaweed.

After the world protested the Janjaweed’s abuses, Hilal was reported last October to be living quietly in Khartoum under the close watch of the authorities. The government has denied supporting the Janjaweed, but a U.N. commission on Darfur has found the state collaborated with the militia.

In other attacks, the United Nations said armed tribesmen reportedly killed six people and wounded four others in an attack on a camp of the Sudan Liberation Army in North Darfur on Wednesday.

It was not clear whether the attack on the camp was related to the reported killing of Hilal’s nephew last Sunday.

The statement, issued by U.N. spokeswoman Radhia Achouri, said the SLA reportedly kidnapped four passengers from a bus, 35 kilometers northwest of the North Darfur capital of El Fasher, on Monday.

“Three of (the four hostages), allegedly from Arab tribes, were killed and their bodies were left on the road,” the United Nations said. It did not say what happened to the fourth hostage.

The statement added that on Wednesday, two gunmen fired at a U.N. water and sanitation truck as it was traveling between the West Darfur towns of Geneina and Mornei.

“One person was injured. There were 10 bullets holes in the truck,” which was marked with the logo of a U.N. agency, the statement said. The unidentified gunmen stole the personal possessions of the driver and passengers.

The United Nations has stopped its drivers from using the road.