120 ‘deserted villages’ in East Jebel Marra, North Darfur

During the last two months, some 120 villages in East Jebel Marra and Tawila locality in North Darfur, have been abandoned, owing to attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, and other militiamen.

Most of the villagers fled towards Shangil Tobaya, Tabit, and Tawila town, where they are surviving in dire conditions, several newly displaced told Radio Dabanga.

Others reported from East Jebel Marra that the area bordering Tawila locality has become “entirely desolate”.

“All the people have left the area during the past two months,” a villager said, “owing to the militia raids on the villages, their robbing of livestock, and destruction of the mills and the water sources.

“In the area of Gallab, there are about 15 people left in the four villages of Kerfola, Kutu, Dali, and Sharafa. A very few people stayed near the valleys of Tabat, Tema, Kunjara, and Sharafa to tend their tomato plants and onions at the farmlands.”

He added that last week, militant herders began to release their camels on the agricultural lands in the area.