Darfur: 50k civilians taking refuge in Jebel Marra caves

An estimated 50,000 people displaced by recent fighting between government troops and rebels in Darfur’s Jebel Marra, are reportedly taking refuge in mountain caves in the Libei area.

Voluntary work activists estimated the number of those fleeing their villages in the eastern areas of Jebel Marra after the government attacks at about 50,000. Activists told Radio Dabanga that these civilians have been displaced from the areas of Sawani, Terongafogi, Owru, and Rokona after the government attack and the battles with the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW).

Activists said the civilians in the caves are sleeping on stones with no water or food.

The association of displaced people and refugees said that the government attacks have led to the burning of 11 villages and displacement of their residents, confirming that the humanitarian organisations and Unamid have not arrived to provide help.

The spokesman of the association Hussein Abusharati called on them via Radio Dabanga to urgently rescue the civilians and provide them with food and medicine.

Robbery

On Tuesday one person was killed and five were wounded in an armed robbery at Sortony – Kabkabiya road in North Darfur.

Passengers reported that gunmen opened fire on a commercial vehicle on its way from Kabkabiya to Sortony, instantly killed assistant driver Adam Abdelsadig, 18 and wounded Abdelrazig Juma, the driver of the vehicle, Fatima Ahmed, Saleh Abdelkarim, and brothers Gamareldin and Najmeldin Ahmed Abdelkarim.

A passenger confirmed that the gunmen robbed them of cash, baggage, and goods and then fled.