Gunmen attack army base in N. Darfur camp, 2 killed

Gunmen attacked an army base in Fata Barno camp for displaced, east of Kutum, North Darfur, on Monday, 22 January. Local witnesses affirm two were killed and one was wounded as a result.   At the same time, Nasrallah Hassan Koko affirmed to Radio Dabanga the attack left 20 soldiers of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) dead and denied that civilians lost their lives. Koko is the field commander of the Bedouin movement, an Arab faction led by the late Yassin Kaci Shayeb who was killed by the SAF in Hashaba last September. Besides, he said that two Land Cruisers were burned during the assault and he accused the government of killing civilians in Fata Barno. Army base The alleged pro-government militiamen, driving two Land Cruisers, invaded the camp at 6:30pm and moved directly to the camp’s army base, eyewitnesses recounted. They said the gunmen were coming from the direction of Kutum.   An army officer who was guarding the base was shot dead on the spot as the militia approached the garrison. The gunmen seized two Land Cruisers belonging to the army which were mounted with Dushkas and other ammunition. However, one of the vehicles would not start and the militiamen took its ammunition and weapons and left towards the camp’s market, sources told Radio Dabanga. Upon arriving at the market, the pro-government militia group started firing gunshots at random, hitting two victims. The secondary school teacher Mohamed Abdelrahman (known as Hamadi) was killed and a school Principal, Mr. Abdullah Abkar Adam Hassan, was injured. Hassan was transferred to the UNAMID headquarters, sources affirmed. The attack at the camp led many displaced to flee the area, as they feared the militiamen were after them, sources said. They added the camp’s residents returned to their homes shortly after hearing the assault was aimed at the SAF base instead.Photo: Displaced camp aerial view (Radio Dabanga file)Related: Dozens killed in clashes between government and rebels (25 September 2012)