Clashing South Darfur herders to face justice

Rizeigat and Fallata herdsmen arrested during the recent violence will all face justice, without any consideration of diya compensation, the acting governor of South Darfur has vowed.

Sudanese security forces have reportedly managed to retrieve at least 20,000 head livestock plundered during the clashes. The acting governor of South Darfur asserted that those responsible from both disputed parties will face justice.

On Friday, while addressing the security forces, the deputy commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) government militia, Maj Gen Abdelrahim Hamdan, confirmed that his forces have retrieved large numbers of livestock that was stolen during the recent tribal violence between Rizeigat and Fallata. “We will not allow any political opportunist or anyone with an agenda to use the people and create chaos,” he said.

Hamdan said that all “the Sudanese security forces are on the ground to contain the situation and bring back any stolen property in the conflict. We have loudly asked the two disputed parties to hand over any illegally obtained property during these last days of tension because we know where both disputed parties have taken the spoils,” he said.

Governor of South Darfur, Maj Gen Hashim Khalid, explained that the security forces are deployed to contain the situation are instructed to bring back the stolen property, restore security, and collect illegal weapons.

The Falata and Rizeigat tribesmen who have been arrested will face justice. “Those who found to be guilty will be severely punished as a deterrent effect,” he added.

"There will be no diya as monetary compensation for victims at all, and there will be no tribal intervention to negate punishment. “The law enforcement and judicial tools will be the only means to resolve this conflict and any other potential conflict,” he said.

He urged the governors of North, Central, West, and East Darfur to close their borders to help capture the attackers and retrieve the stolen property.

On May 7, Radio Dabanga reported that at least 30 people were killed, and dozens of others were injured in fighting that broke out between Fallata and Rizeigat cattle herders in South Darfur. Military and paramilitary forces were dispatched to contain the situation.

Violence continues

On Thursday, a group of herders killed a farmer and seriously wounded another in their farms in the area of Goz Beina, south of El Fasher.

Community leader Adam Ishag told Radio Dabanga that about six herders encroached on the farm of Abakar Yousef with their camels and livestock. When Abakar Yousef and another farmer Hamid confronted them, they beat them with batons and whips. Yousef died instantly. Hamid was severely injured and taken to a hospital.

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