Dozens of East Darfur tribesmen sent to prisons

The Rizeigat and Maaliya native administration leaders who were held in East Darfur this weekend have been released on Sunday. 97 tribesmen, including 25 omdas, who are still in custody, have been transported to prisons in Khartoum and Port Sudan.

Security forces held a large number of Rizeigat and Maaliya leaders and other tribesmen in East Darfur on Saturday, following deadly clashes that erupted between the warring tribes a week ago. The East Darfur authorities deployed a military buffer force to separate the militants.

A 70-year-old activist told Radio Dabanga from the East Darfur capital of Ed Daein on Monday that security forces, supported by paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), moved 70 Rizeigat, including 18 omdas, from the area of Keleilik to prisons in Khartoum and Port Sudan on Sunday.

He said he had heard that the tribesmen were tried under the state’s Emergency Law, and sentenced to three to six months imprisonment.

Later that day, the nazir (native administration leader) of the Rizeigat and his deputy were released, after having been held in the area between Keleilik and Ed Daein.

The source added that an RSF force in 20 vehicles raided the home of a man named Deifallah in Ed Daein on Sunday evening, and took him with them to an unknown destination. “The RSF seem to have a list of wanted tribesmen,” he said.

The nazir of the Maaliya arrived in In Abu Karinka town on Sunday evening after having been detained for one-and-a-half day, Omda Hamed Mohamedi Bishara told this station.

He said that seven Maaliya omdas who were accompanying the nazir, were transported, together with a group of 20 tribesmen held in Mejlid. He did not know exactly if they were sent to prisons in Port Sudan or to the El Hoda Prison in Omdurman.

The omda as well reported the arrival of an RSF force to Abu Karinka carrying a list of names of wanted tribesmen. “Two of them were detained. They are still searching for the others.”