Accord signed to end West Kordofan tribal strife

On Monday, Hamar and Misseriya tribal leaders in Abu Zabad, West Kordofan, signed a document to stop hostilities between them in the presence of the Abu Zabad locality security committee. The most important terms of the agreement include commitment to the document, restraint, maintaining security and public order, stopping hate speech through social media, dispersing gatherings and reining-in youth to prevent sedition.

Mohamed El Bishir, deputy nazir of the Misseriya, said in a press statement that the Abu Zabad town is a model of peaceful coexistence among all of its components, pointing out that this problem was fuelled by negative posts on social media.

Hamar Shartay Ahmed Hasan Adel, affirmed the commitment to the document, indicating that they are up to the responsibility to put its provisions on the ground, calling on the Misseriya officials to work together to prevent new problems and conflicts.

The head of the Abu Zabad security committee, Ibrahim Yousef, authorised the document, calling on the two parties to abide by what they signed to defuse the crisis and lead the community towards the peace conference to establish sustainable peace between the two tribes. He stressed the stability of the security situation in all parts of the locality.

The situation in Abu Zabad in West Kordofan was tense following tribal clashes between Hamar and Misseriya last week. Leaders of both tribes in Khartoum have formed a committee to reconciliate the warring sides.

Following a conflict concerning the demarcation of the border between the Hamar and Misseriya nomad tribes in the area, fighting broke out in Abu Zabad on September 11. The clashes that lasted until the next morning, left at least six people dead. More than 20 others were injured.