Masalit report: Five people killed, two others raped in West Darfur last month

The Dar Masalit Displaced and Refugee Camps Gathering reported yesterday that five killings and two rapes were recorded in West Darfur in July.

The Masalit Gathering monitoring human rights violations in West Darfur, stated in its monthly report on Tuesday that the incidents of violence last month occurred “while citizens were exercising their right to travel, trade, and tend their farms in the state”.

The killings took place on the El Geneina-Adikung road, the El Geneina-Melli road, in Kereinik and Dukoweit. Two young sisters were raped in the village of Kadmi in Kereinik.

The report said that most of the killings were carried out by gunmen riding on motorbikes. None of the perpetrators has been arrested.

West Darfur Governor Khamees Abdallah described the recent killings as criminal and not tribal in a press statement in El Geneina yesterday. He said that a number of government forces in 71 vehicles were sent to all localities of the state.

West Darfur is home to the sedentary Masalit tribe. Many members are farmers. The state witnessed several large incidents of violence so far this year.

End June, 12 people were killed and 15 were wounded during four days of violence in the Kereinik and Jebel Moon localities. More clashes occurred in other areas around the same time.

Two months before, 144 people died and over 233 were wounded when violence erupted after two Masalit tribesmen were killed by Arab tribesmen. In January, at least 163 people were killed in attacks on El Geneina and adjacent Kerending camps as Arab herdsmen again targeted Masalit people.