Air raids in Darfur’s East Jebel Marra to cover SAF convoy

A woman was wounded and a number of cattle were killed in air raids by the Sudanese Air Force on Wednesday in East Jebel Marra. Local residents claim the bombardments were meant to cover an army convoy passing through the area.The Antonov raid on the Sur Rai village, located 5km west of Khazaan Tunjur, came after a “long day” of aerial bombardments in the Abu Zaid, Dobo El Omda, and Taradona villages in the vicinity.Sources said the convoy of 115 military vehicles carrying soldiers and weapons was moving to El Fasher, North Darfur capital, where it arrived on Wednesday afternoon. Residents of the area told Radio Dabanga the army was stationed in Taradona and Khartoum Jadeed on Monday, where soldiers “plundered villages”.“Thirty-five military vehicles remained in Tabit, North Darfur, and the rest moved to El Fasher, taking the looted property with them,” sources reported.East Jebel Marra residents condemned the Sudanese army soldiers for robbing, beating and torturing them. They also condemned the continuous intense aerial bombardments “that not only kill and injure people and livestock, but also causes fires turning our crops into piles of ashes”.File photo Related: Situation dire for Darfuris in East Jebel Marra after clashes, air raids (5 November 2013)Air raid destroys water well in Darfur’s East Jebel Marra (31 October 2013)Bombs ignite 100 acres of crops in Darfur’s East Jebel Marra (30 October 2013)