Attacks on South Darfur market ‘wound five’

People were wounded in a market in Nyala on Friday and Saturday evening, reportedly in an attack carried out by policemen. Gunmen robbed a pharmacist in the city on Saturday evening.

A witness reported that members of the police attacked the market in El Jebel district in the South Darfur capital on Friday at 5 pm. “People were beaten with rifle butts and sticks, after the police opened fire.”

He said that an 11-year-old girl, named Wijdan, was seriously injured, along with Mujahid Eisa (18), who were both taken to the hospital.

Three members of the Armed Forces, named Salah John, Direig, and Aburas, were involved in the attack, and they have been taken to a police station east of Nyala, according to the witness. A complaint was filed against them on charges of annoying the authorities, following a discussion between members of the police and a group of youths.

On Saturday night, the police raided the market again, assaulted merchants and tea sellers, and prevented them from carrying out their work after 8 p.m., the witness said.

Other unverified reports indicate that the policemen clashed with members of the Rapid Support Forces in El Jebel.

Intervention

The witnesses said that the state's security committee intervened to contain the violence. Governor Adam El Faki, in charge of the committee, promised to form a joint force of the army, the police and the security service in order to protect the markets.

“Police forces openly defied the Governor's announcement by opening fire into the air,” a resident of Nyala told Radio Dabanga.

Pharmacy

On Saturday at 9.30 p.m., gunmen stormed the Silik pharmacy at Congo Street in Nyala and stole the money and mobile phone of the pharmacist. Reportedly no one was wounded.

The residents of El Jebel expressed concern to Radio Dabanga that he situation might return to the chaos used to prevail before the imposition of the security measures in 2014.