Many displaced by attacks in Darfur’s Jebel Marra

A large number of residents in East Jebel Marra fled their villages towards Tabit, following attacks by militiamen on Wednesday and Thursday. Several said that their relatives have gone missing as they fled.

The attacks on Dali, Koto, Korofalla, and Hashaba this week have caused the displacement of 7,400 people, according to an affected villager.

The siege on Dali yesterday was carried out by militant Abbala tribesmen, who claimed that a dead affiliate of theirs, found in the vicinity of Dali, was killed by residents. They denied anyone exit or entrance to Dali.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, the affected villager said that most of the displaced are children and women, who now live out in the open on the outskirts of Tabit. There is a lack of food, medicines, and blankets, he said.

“The people came and only carried the clothes they were wearing. They suffer from the heat of the sun during the day and the cold at night.”

“They said that they have caught the perpetrators […] But we do not want to return.”

Another displaced villager told the radio station that he has lost track of two of his family members as they fled, namely Adam Yahya Omar and Abaker Haroun Saleh.

He said that the Commissioner of Tawila locality, Adam Yagoub, visited the displaced people and urged them to return to their villages. “The Commissioner claimed that they have caught the perpetrators. He said that he has convinced the militiamen to withdraw, so they can resolve the issue.

“We did not return to the villages after losing everything to the attackers. The militiamen have occupied our villages and seized our lands.”

The witness said that they suffer from a drinking water shortage. He appealed to the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (Unamid) to protect them, and to international aid groups to provide them with food and blankets.