Armed herders rape four displaced women, sources

Sources told Radio Dabanga that armed herders are being accused of raping four displaced women, among them two minors, in farms in the deserted village of Koska at a few kilometers from Deleij, south-east of Wadi Saleh locality in Central Darfur on Saturday, 8 December.
The victims left to the farms in the early morning with the purpose of continuing the harvest process. The victims’ families reported that more than 9 armed herders entered the farms and released their cattle onto the farmlands. When the herders found the women, they threatened them with guns and allegedly raped all of them.
It was reported that among the victims were two underage girls of 9 and 12 years of age. The victims’ families explained that when the four women did not return to the camp, they went out to look for them at the farms. Upon arrival at the farms, the herders opened fire on the family members. They added that they managed to release the victims and take them to a health center in Deleij for treatment.
‘Missing camels’
Furthermore, they stated the incident has been reported to the police. In the meantime, the police seized seven of the shepherds’ camels. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the shepherds came to the police station in Deleij after their camels ‘went missing’ and surrounded and attacked the station. The witnesses added that the police stood firm and fired back, without revealing who took the camels.
Also, the attack on the police station has reportedly caused fear and panic among residents in Deleij locality and its camps, a camps’ coordinator from Central Darfur told Radio Dabanga.
On the same matter, the displaced demand the arrest of the perpetrators as ‘they are known’. The displaced said: “the police can easily determine whose camels they seized by checking the camels marks”.
Moreover, they demand UNAMID in Deleij as well as the local authorities to investigate the incident.
Radio Dabanga file photo