Lieutenant shot dead by armed herdsmen in South Darfur

An army lieutenant was shot dead, two policemen were wounded, and one person went missing in a clash between the army and armed herdsmen west of Gireida in South Darfur.

An activist from Gireida told Radio Dabanga that armed herdsmen attacked farmers near Eidan village. Army and police persued the herdsmen with two vehicles. The herdsmen then opened fire, instantly killing lieutenant Mohamed El Hasan and seriously wounding policemen El Sadig Obeid and Omar Abakar.

He added that ten army vehicles arrived in Gireida on Thursday morning, moved to Idan village and transferred the body of the lieutenant to Gireida.

Three people were killed and seven others, including two policemen, were wounded in an attack by herdsmen on the same village on Tuesday.

The residents of Gireida held a vigil at Freedom Square yesterday, demanding that the perpetrators will be arrested and brought to trial. They also demanded that the looted money will be returned and that the local units of the army and police will be strengthened. They called upon the state governor to come to Gireida and to address all the local problems.

Nyala

On Wednesday, a rally organised by the Sudanese Professionals Association in the South Darfur capital of Nyala demanded the immediate dismissal of the current acting governor and – in close cooperation with the Forces for Freedom and Change in South Darfur – the appointment of a civilian governor.

The recent violence in South Darfur was the reason to hold the rally. Two people died in Nyala, one of them was brutally tortured by paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Forces. In the Mershing area security forces shot and killed three demonstrators. Three days ago three people were killed by herdsman near Gireida, including a mother and her son.

Commission of inquiry

In a statement on Wednesday, the association called for an independent commission of inquiry to be formed within 48 hours and for the perpetrators to be given a fair trial.

The association also demanded all weapons must be collected from civilians and tribes.

The association demanded in in its statement that the state security apparatus must be dissolved, or at least that restrictions will be imposed on its powers in the fields of flour and fuel and that their arms will be taken from them. They also seek prosecution of security officers who contributed to the torture and killing of civilians.

North Darfur

In North Darfur, Mohamed El Doud was shot dead by gunmen at his farm in the area of Tebeldina, north of Shangil Tobaya on Wednesday evening. His son Adam was seriously wounded.

A third person was not hit. He told Radio Dabanga that the three gunmen who were riding on camels wore military uniforms. A local rescue team and police persued the perpetrators.

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