Displacement due to disturbance in North Darfur

UNAMID calls the fighting between herders and farmers as tribal clashes

The fighting that broke out in North Darfur’s Thamur region last week has led to the displacement of thousands of citizens from the region, residents of the area told Radio Dabanga.People from the area have fled to neighboring mountains and valleys because of the clashes that killed six people and left several others injured.

Radio Dabanga had reported previously about the varying reasons attributed to the fighting. While some armed groups claimed that government forces were responsible for the clashes, the United Nations African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) issued a statement claiming that the fights were tribal.

In a new statement, the UNAMID said that three farmers and two Bedouin shepherds were killed due to grazing of animals on the farms. Further reports of the clashes are still awaited.

One of the residents fleeing the area told Radio Dabanga, “The area has been cordoned off by heavy military security. This is meant to prevent people from entering the camps in Saraf Omra and Zalingei.”

He added that the prevailing conditions in the region were very bad, especially for women and children. The displaced people are facing shortage of drinking water and meals for the past three days he said.

Sheikhs visit affected areas

A panel of 11 sheikhs from Saraf Omra camp visited the affected villages of Thamur, a member of the panel told Radio Dabanga.

He said that they hadn’t found any citizen in these villages because all of them had fled as a result of the recent events. “The security authorities prevented us from finishing our investigation. Local authorities have not provided any kind of humanitarian assistance to the affected population,” he added.

The panel member appealed to the United Nations (UN) and other humanitarian organizations in the region to protect the civilians and provide assistance in areas of health as soon as possible.