Militiamen attack cars, camp in North Darfur

Militiamen robbed two vehicles in separate incidents in western Jebel Marra and North Darfur on Wednesday. All passengers were severely beaten, and six of them sustained serious injuries. The displaced living in Zamzam camp, near El Fasher, lost 200 cows to raiding militiamen the same day.

One of the passengers of an ambushed Nissan vehicle told Dabanga that militiamen on camels appeared on the road in Abu Hamra. The vehicle was on its way to Shadad camp for the displaced in Shangil Tobaya, North Darfur, carrying a group of people who had fled the ongoing fighting and bombardments in Sawani in East Jebel Marra.

“The militiamen opened fire on our vehicle at about 3 pm in Abu Hamra. They forced us out and beat us, including the driver. Then, they robbed us of all our properties. The vehicle was severely damaged by their shooting.” The wounded were brought to El Malam, which is in the area, for treatment.

In North Darfur too, militiamen robbed a rental vehicle which was on its way from El Fasher to Tawila. “Four government-backed militiamen on camels stopped our vehicle in Bawabat Sigili at gunpoint,” one of the victims explained. “They ordered all the passengers to come outside and lie on the ground, before they beat and whipped us.” Besides taking their money, mobile phones and other belongings they had with them, the militiamen also took the goods from the back of the vehicle, and took off.

Militiamen enter camp without a fight

Displaced people living in Zamzam camp, south of El Fasher, witnessed a large cattle theft by militiamen on Wednesday. The camp residents hid inside their homes, when men stormed the camp just after sunset. The robbers stole about 200 cows. A witness said that none of the government forces, stationed at six points in the camp, intervened.