Joint force seizes arms from South Darfur tribes

Soldiers and police have forcefully disarmed members of the Salamat and Fellata tribes in Tullus and Buram localities, South Darfur. Most weapons were seized from cattle herders.

The disarmament campaign by a joint force of soldiers, police, and Rapid Support Forces, started on Thursday, a South Darfur official told Radio Dabanga. The state government ordered the disarmament of both tribes on 14 February, following clashes near El Malwi that resulted in ‘25 dead and wounded’, according to the state’s reports.

Speaking to Radio Dabanaga, the official said that the joint force has “managed to seize hundreds of various weapons from tribal members by force”. “The majority of the weapons were in the possession of cattle herders.”

At the end of last month, Governor Adam El Faki vowed to “deter outlaws” and announced a security campaign in South Darfur, to be implemented by a joint security force of 100 wagons.

Leaders of the Salamat and Fellata have welcomed the disarmament campaign. Omda Hassan Jibril Adam of the Salamat tribe explained that most of the tribal conflicts erupt among bearers of weapons.

He said that the campaign should include all tribes in Darfur at the same time, “so that criminals will not have the opportunity to attack unarmed civilians”. “The relations between tribes in the region are still tense and many reconciliation processes among them are still pending.”

Omda Eisa Idris Yousif, Chief of the Fellata tribe said that the main cause of tribal conflicts is the spread of arms among tribes in Darfur, stressing the urgent need to collect weapons from tribes. “Dealing with weapons has become a threat to the lives of citizens in Darfur.”

The state announced the detention of 33 members of the Salamat and Fellata suspected of provoking the recent tribal clashes, for the next three months in accordance with the Emergency Law.