Jebel Moon: ‘Military complicit in Darfur attacks’

The West Darfur government has confirmed that elements of the military abetted the attack on Seleia in Jebel Moon locality on January 7.

In a report addressing the human rights violations in Jebel Moon, testimonials from villagers who were attacked in Berdy, Gebeish, Hajilija, and Igra reported that 14 vehicles belonging to the military participated in the January 10 attack.

The General Secretariat of the West Darfur government also stated in the report, that 51 people were killed and a large number were wounded during the eight attacks on villages in Jebel Moon from November to January 26.

The report indicated that they would form a committee to investigate the participation of the military in these attacks and considered “it a challenge to the government”.

According to the report, 35 villages were affected by the attack and more than 1,000 houses were torched since December, forcing masses of people fleeing to the mountain tops of Jebel Moon, while others fled to Seleia and the Chadian border.

A local activist, Mohamed Ali, said in an interview with Radio Dabanga, that the number of displaced in Jebel Moon, Seleia, and those toward the Chadian border rose to 104,000 families, in addition to the displacement of 592 families to Sirba.

He explained that the displaced are living in tragic conditions, with no help from international organisations reaching them due to their inability to provide aid because of the deteriorating security conditions.