‘Militiamen terrorise Darfur’s El Salam camp’: Sheikh

Displaced people from El Salam camp in Nyala are concerned about continuous militia attacks against them saying that the militiamen fire gunshots at night in the air.Sheikh Mahjoub Adam Tabaldiya told Radio Dabanga that the incidence of attacks by armed militiamen against displaced people and then terrorising them by firing shots at night, is still frequent.The most recent event was on Thursday, when an armed group stormed the camp and started firing into the air from 11 pm until 1am on Friday.He explained that this incident created a “state of terror and fear in the hearts of the displaced”, adding that the same militia stormed the camp on Wednesday night and opened fire on Abdel Hamid Mohamed Ahmed, who was injured and taken to a hospital in Nyala.The sheikh demanded authorities in Nyala and Unamid provide security for displaced people, patrol the camp at night, and hold militiamen accountable for any crimes they commit.The sheikh also told Radio Dabanga that between Thursday and Friday El Salam received a new batch 140 displaced families who were fleeing several areas in South Darfur.He said that 40 families arrived from Hijer Raad, another 30 from Younis village and 14 from Abu Jabra on Thursday.Friday saw the arrival of 25 families from Ishma, nine from Donkey Deresa, 22 from Um Gunja. This brings the current number of displaced at El Salam to 86,000, but more continue to arrive, Sheikh Tabaldiya said.He noted that the displaced persons are living without water, food, and shelter, and appealed to humanitarian organisations and the Humanitarian Aid Commission to provide food, water, and tarpaulins.File photoRelated: UN: more than 300,000 Darfur displaced in five months (16 May 2013)