Darfur tribal fighting leaves 15 dead

At least 15 tribesmen have been killed and 34 others were injured during tribal clashes between Masalit farmers and Fallata herders in South Darfur on Saturday. In El Geneina, West Darfur, a student was shot dead.

Community leader Omar El Malik told reporters in Gireida that a dispute at the Rahad Abu Dereisa water well between members of the two tribes developed into a firefight. Two Fallata tribesmen were shot dead.

In response, Fallata militants attacked Masalit neighbourhoods in Gireida town, which led to the death of 13 Masalit. 34 others were injured and had to be taken to hospitals in Gireida and the South Darfur capital Nyala.

Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries stationed in the area intervened, and separated the fighting tribesmen.

Fallata Native Administration leader Jaafar Eisa said that the failure to follow up the implementation of the reconciliation agreement concluded by the two parties in Nyala in October is one of the reasons for the renewal of the conflict.

A conference on peaceful coexistence between the Fallata and Masalit tribes was held at the end of October. Earlier in October, Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries arrested 39 people accused of involvement in the July attack. Fallata and Masalit tribes signed a reconciliation agreement in Nyala at the end of November. Violent clashes took place in July and October in Gireida locality, in which dozens of people were killed and injured.

Governor

Mousa Mahdi, Governor of South Darfur, visited Gireida on Sunday. During his meeting with the members of the security committee and community leaders in the locality, he said that “the era of reconciliation conferences has ended and is now replaced by the rule of law”.

He called on the people in the area to help Gireida’s security committee by providing information and evidence.

It was decided at the meeting to deploy a large military force to protect the people, arrest those involved in the fighting, collect weapons in the locality, and form an investigation committee.

Jibril Ibrahim, head of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), said at a press conference in Khartoum yesterday that the situation in several areas of the locality is still tense because of a lack of security forces.

West Darfur

In West Darfur, unidentified gunmen shot at two students of the El Geneina University, while they were studying on the banks of Akja Valley in preparation for examinations. Hubeldin Arbab was killed instantly. Abbas Ismail was injured.

The University of El Geneina suspended studies for one day yesterday in mourning for the student.

On the same day, an employee of the Ministry of Finance, Harran Omar, was shot by robbers in front of the Agricultural Bank in El Geneina town. The attackers fled, taking his vehicle.

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