Revenge attacks shake up Darfur

Dabaga

An unknown number of people were killed and wounded in an attack launched by large groups of armed men on Foro Baranga in West Darfur after ‘mysterious’ killings. Birkat Seira in Saraf Omra, North Darfur, also witnessed revenge attacks.

Tribal tensions escalated after a man, related to the attackers, was found killed in the area on Sunday.

On Monday, another man was killed by gunmen near Foro Baranga.

News outlet Darfur24 reported that the incidents lead to confrontations between the two tribes to which the killed people belonged.

In response to the violence in Foro Baranga and other attacks and armed robberies in the region, Acting Governor of West Darfur Gen Khamees Abakar declared a two-week State of Emergency, which went into immediate effect.

The State of Emergency includes a curfew between 19:00 and 07:00.

The Displacement Tracking Matrix of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported the displacement of people living in El Salam and El Shati neighbourhoods in Foro Baranga as a result of the attacks.

IOM stated in the matrix that the area is witnessing large crowds of both sides of the conflict.

Reports also indicate that the clashes are still going on.

West Darfur has a bloody history of tribal conflict. In April last year, at least 168 people were killed in attacks between Arab and Masalit tribes in Kereinik.

In June, at least 20 died after clashes erupted after a dispute over agricultural lands between Gimir and Rizeigat tribesmen, Arab nomadic herders.

At the end of 2021, clashes between Misseriya tribesmen and Arab nomads and clashes between Masalit tribesmen and Arab nomads left at least 138 dead.