‘Heavy air raids’ in North Darfur

The Sudanese Air Force has carried out intensive air raids on villages in North Darfur targeting civilians, utilities, water sources, livestock and farms. Speaking to Radio Dabanga from North Darfur capital El Fasher, the Member of Parliament responsible for Karnoi and Um Baru localities, Mohamed Ahmed Minawi reported “heavy aerial bombardments on Sunday and Tuesday”. The first raid, on Abu Gamra in Karnoi Locality, started at midday and lasted until 4 pm. Suleiman Hamid and Ahmed Suleiman were seriously injured, and the villages of Habila, Jeritawa, and Andom were burned. The water sources at Dwanky were also destroyed. Witnesses fleeing the area told Radio Dabanga that from 8 am until 2 pm on Tuesday, an Antonov aircraft bombarded the area of Abu Leha in Um Baru locality. In the second raid, the basic school was destroyed, along with water sources, dozens of cattle, and pastures and farmland. Minawi says that the aim of the bombardments is to displace the civilians and drive them back to the camps. “Their livelihoods, homes, livestock and farms are destroyed,” he said. Minawi strongly condemned the government’s bombing of the area, asserting that “there is no presence of armed movements in the area. All the local inhabitants are pastoralists”. He appealed to the Khartoum government to stop targeting civilians, water sources and their means of earning a living. File photo: Satellite image after air raids on Darfur villages (SSP) Related: Air force bombs farms in East Jebel Marra, Darfur (16 November 2014) Shelling kills three civilians, rebels claim victory in Darfur’s Jebel Marra (31 October 2014)