Darfur’s East Jebel Marra shelled – at least two civilians die: witnesses

Government militias guarding fuel convoy reportedly subjected villages in East Jebel Marra to “artillery and mortar fire” on Thursday, killing at least two civilians, and injuring many more. Multiple witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the government troops and militiamen were guarding a convoy of 150 fuel tanker trucks that reached Tabit military base in North Darfur on Thursday morning. In the past, fuel convoys have been the target of rebel attacks. The guards then reportedly gathered in the Tangara area, about 7km south of the base, and began to shell the East Jebel Marra villages of Sharfa, Ronja Guenjy, Aduma, Umm Genji, Crowe, and the surrounding farms “with artillery, howitzers and mortars”. Witnesses say that two women, Maimuna Easa Saleh (35 years) and Dar es Salaam Hassan Yahiya (25 years) died in “intensive bombing” of Sharfa. “A large fire also broke out in the village,” they said. Sources say that following the shelling, “the Sudanese Air Force dropped several bombs on the area”, but could not give further details. The bombardments also reportedly injured many people, but the witnesses underscored that it was too soon to give accurate casualty figures. Large numbers of livestock are also said to have perished. Citizens appealed to the international community to intervene and “impose a no-fly zone in Darfur, and document the crimes of the Khartoum regime in East Jebel Marra”.East Jebel Marra has seen consecutive days of air-strikes allegedly carried out by the Sudanese Air Forces over the last days. At least nine people have died so far, although “inventory is still on-going,” say sources. File photo Related: Sudanese Air Force strikes on East Jebel Marra continue: sources (13 August 2013) Darfur’s East Jebel Marra bombing death toll rises (12 August 2013) At least seven die, dozens wounded in North Darfur air raids (11 August 2013)