Farmers, policemen attacked in Central Darfur

On Saturday a gunmen was killed and on Sunday three farmers were injured in Dan Kouj, east of Zalingei, the capital of Central Darfur. On Sunday militiamen robbed and torched a police station in the same area. The coordinator of the Central Darfur camps for the displaced told Radio Dabanga that militiamen on Saturday assaulted a group of farmers who were tending their farms in the area of Dan Kouj, 15km east of Zalingei. They demanded from the farmers to hand their money, mobile phones and other belongings at gunpoint. One farmer refused. Defending himself, he stabbed one of the gunmen, who later died of his wounds. In response, a group of militiamen attacked on Sunday, farmers in the area of Dan Kouj. Three of the farmers were injured, including a woman. They were transferred to a hospital in Zalingei for treatment. A group of militiamen on carts, motorcycles, camels, and horses, continued besieging farmers in the area until Sunday evening, the coordinator added. Police station Government-backed militiamen beat policemen of the Dan Kouj police station on Sunday. They took weapons and ammunition after which they torched the station. The coordinator of the Central Darfur camps also told Radio Dabanga that “those militiamen also attacked a ‘rescue team’ of farmers on their way to help out the assaulted farmers of Dan Kouj, and torched their vehicles. The camp coordinator stressed the need of protection for the displaced farmers against assaults, robberies, killings, and rapes. File photo Related:Shop and house plundered, woman shot in Central Darfur (12 January 2014) Two killed, four wounded by militiamen in South Darfur (12 January 2014) Armed robbers murder man, injure his mother in South Darfur (12 January 2014) Gunmen steal car of nutrition organisation in Central Darfur (10 January 2014)