Border Guards attack villages in Kutum, North Darfur

Eight people were reportedly killed, ten others abducted, and a number of women were raped in northern Kutum, North Darfur, over the weekend.

A group of paramilitary Border Guards in 25 Land Cruisers, led by Lieutenant Colonels Mahmoud El Wali and Ali Hamed Taher, raided the villages of Tema and Donkey Baashim on Saturday.

An eyewitness who fled Tema told Radio Dabanga that they stormed his village at 10 am. “They killed merchant Adouma Ibrahim, his brother Yousef, and Dereij Jido Adam, Omar Mohamed Mohamedein, Adam Mohamed Suliman, and three others. Suleiman Adam Hasabo sustained serious bullet wounds.

“They seized Maryem Ishag (60), Farah Hamdoun (16), and his brother Farahat (14) and took them with them when they left.”

While the villagers were fleeing, the attackers plundered the village. “They took our money, household items, but also grain mills and water engines, and hundreds of livestock.”

The source said that the paramilitaries raped a number of women and girls, but he could not say how many. The number of people missing is unclear as well, he said, as the population fled in all directions.

He added that the Border Guards were still roaming the area today. “They are stationed in the areas of Um Sidir and Hashaba.”

On Sunday, the market of Donkey Baashim was attacked, a trader reported. “The janjaweed, led by El Nur El Gubba, abducted three children, Mohamed Saleh Adam (5), Rawda Shamin (7), and Feisal Suleiman (9), and Hamid Abdallah, Hassan Abdallah, Abdelaziz Ibrahim Musa, and Adam Juma Dubbo.

“The brigands plundered the market and a number of houses. They stole all the medicines from the Health Clinic, and set the basic school on fire.”

Mohamed Minawi Degeish, independent MP for Kornoy, Um Baru, and Tina constituencies, confirmed the attacks to this station. He said that eight people were killed and ten others were abducted.

He strongly condemned the attack, especially as the attack was led by El Nur El Gubba, who belongs to the 6th Infantry Division.

The MP will submit an urgent request to the national parliament to question the Minister of Defence Minister about what he termed a “disaster”.