Jebel Marra displaced gather in Tur, Nierteti

Thousands who fled the aerial bombardments in Jebel Marra arrived in Tur, in the west of the mountains, and Nierteti in Central Darfur, on Monday. The displaced are forced to pay ‘tolls’ to armed men on the roads to the camps.

A Sheikh in Tur appealed to the humanitarian organisations to act quickly and provide relief, shelter, and food to the newly displaced in Tur and Nierteti. 

He reported that 287 families arrived in Tur on Monday, bringing the number of displaced there to approximately 12,034. In Nierteti, there are reportedly about 1,203 new families, while in Tundobaya and Tabaldi in East Jebel Marra, an estimated 155 families arrived at camps in Tawila locality.

According to the United Nations humanitarian office (OCHA), the UN and partners have distributed food relief and other humanitarian aid to 38,000 civilians in three locations in North Darfur. They have not yet been able to verify the numbers and needs of thousands of displaced in Central Darfur.

Passage fees

An activist and witnesses reported to Radio Dabanga that ten lorries carrying displaced villagers from Jebel Marra were subjected to attacks by bandits in Land Cruisers. They demanded each lorry driver pay a SDG500 ($81) ‘toll’ for passage, and robbed the people of their belongings.

This amid the Commissioner of Tawila locality’s campaign to rid the area of militiamen that rob newly displaced people. Starting February, Radio Dabanga received reports of militiamen demanding tolls on the roads in Tawila.