Central Darfur-Chad border open again

The Chad-Sudan border in the area of Um Dukhun town in Central Darfur, closed on Friday, was opened again on Sunday.

Tensions in the area started more than a week ago, after a group of Darfuri gunmen had stripped a number of Chadian policemen of their weapons in the area of Taisi, across the Chad-Central Darfur border.

In response, the Commissioner of Taisi moved with his security forces into Um Dukhun locality on Friday 24 March, in search of the militants. In the ensuing fire-fight near Um Dukhun that evening, two bodyguards of the commissioner and two of the gunmen were killed.

The following Sunday, eight of the gunmen were arrested in Um Dukhun, and transferred to the Taisi military base in Chad.

Last Friday, a large group of gmilitants gathered in Um Dukhun town, demanding the release of their eight comrades. They pblocked Chad forces from crossing the border.

Because of the growing tension, the Chad border authorities prohibited Um Dukhun residents from entering the Chadian part of the town to fetch water. The Um Dukhun Market was closed as well.

Sources told Radio Dabanga that the border was reopened again on Sunday. They could not say if a solution has been reached for the normalisation of the relations in the area.