Arrests, cash seized in ongoing RSF siege of South Darfur market

Reports that reached Radio Dabanga yesterday from Dato administrative unit in Gireida locality in South Darfur say that a siege of the market by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) troops has entered its third day.

Three people were injured, 16 others arrested, and a quantity of cash and goods seized in an initial raid on the market of Dato by members of the RSF on Monday.

By Wednesday the RSF siege continued. Callers from the area told this station that four Omdas have been arrested bringing the number of detainees to 20. The allege 350 mobile phones and money estimated at more than SDG 1 million ($150,000) has been seized.

Residents of Dato told Radio Dabanga that their humanitarian situation and livelihoods have been severely compromised by the RSF closure of roads and market and by ordering people to stay indoors.

They pointed to the depletion of food, sugar, and medicine as a result of the stop of grain mills, bakeries, pharmacies, and shops.

The residents of Dato allege that the RSF continued to attack the residents by beating them with rifle butts, sticks and directing verbal and racist insults.

They called for ending the siege on the area which they described as unfair and releasing the detainees immediately.

Among the detainees were Omdas El Rayah Adam Abbas, a basic school teacher, Mahjoub Mohammed Ahmed, Yahya Ibrahim Madibbo, Ibrahim El Ghali, a basic school teacher Khaled Adam Abbas Ali, student El Hadi Yousif Mohammed, Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed, Abdelrahman Adam Suleiman and Obeid Ibrahim Ahmed owner of a mobile shop who had 80 mobiles stolen from his shop.

Kereinik

On Monday the RSF arrested 17 people in a raid on Kereinik locality in West Darfur and released them collectively on Wednesday.

Witnesses said among the detainees were native administration leaders and traders.

The number of detainees in the framework of the campaign to collect weapons in North, Central and West Darfur within five days from Saturday to Wednesday has amounted to 45 detainees, including students, Omdas, sheikhs, mosque imams and traders.