Central Darfur ‘security campaign’ continues in Zalingei

On Monday, Central Darfur security forces arrested a number of suspects and seized large quantities of drugs in Zalingei locality in an attempt to curb the rampant criminality in the area.

The Commissioner of Zalingei locality, Abdallah Abakar Khamis, told reporters in Zalingei on Tuesday that “large quantities of opium and sexual stimulants were found, a number of criminals were detained, and more than 30 unauthorised motorcycles were confiscated in the locality on Monday”.

A resident of Zalingei told Radio Dabanga that the people living near the goat market east of the town were terrified on Monday afternoon, when fierce shooting erupted between a joint army and police force and arms and drugs traders at the market.

“The armed traders managed to escape and fled into the forests,” he said.

The campaign also targeted vegetables and spices vendors at the Zalingei Grand Market, a trader told Radio Dabanga on Tuesday. He said that the authorities plan to renovate the market.

Last week, the Central Darfur government announced the “second phase” of a large security campaign. Governor Jaafar Abdelhakam said that the campaign “will continue, unannounced, in all localities of the state, to reach all those who intimidate the people and threaten the security situation of Central Darfur”.

Abdelhakam introduced emergency laws for the entire state in July last year. The laws granted the regular security forces “all powers” to fight the lawlessness in Central Darfur. Yet, rapidly rising criminality rates in the state pushed for new stringent actions.