Herdsmen attack villages, torch houses in Kutum, North Darfur

Militant Abbala tribesmen attacked three villages in the area of Tima in Kutum locality on Saturday. Two women were injured. 250 house huts burned to ashes. The day before they drove their camels onto farms in the area. All the crops were destroyed.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, a resident of Tima village reported that a large group of Abbala herders stormed the villages of Tima, Shagargali, and Geidaba, about 80 km northeast of Kutum.

“The Janjaweed torched 100 residential huts in Tima, 70 in Shagargali, and 45 in Geidaba village,” he said.

“In Tima, they also whipped two women severely. Taja Yagoub Bashar (35) and Fatima Suleiman Bashar (30) had to be transferred to Mellit hospital for treatment.”

The villager said that most of the people fled to the neighbouring hills, and appealed through Radio Dabanga to the UN to protect them from further attacks.

He added that all of the crops were destroyed after the Abbala released their camels onto farms in the area on Friday and Saturday.