New Chadian settlers in Darfur

New settlers from Chad arrived at Wadi Salih locality in Central Darfur on Saturday. They occupied abandoned villages in the area. Displaced villagers in Garsila told Radio Dabanga that an officer of the Border Guards called Abbas brought in about 48 Chadian families in lorries. They were transferred to the area of Mara, 4 km south of the town, where they settled themselves. The villagers explained to Radio Dabanga that they are originally from Mara. Since the war erupted in 2003, they were forcibly displaced from their villages. They fled to the Garsila camps after being attacked by militias and bombed by the Sudanese Air Force. They appealed to the local, state, and federal authorities to investigate the new settlements, and expel the newcomers from their lands. Herders in South Darfur Residents of the Kass camps for the displaced in South Darfur also reported to Radio Dabanga about widespread occupation of their villages and farmlands. According to the displaced, originally from Shattai locality, “thousands of families of pro-government herdsmen, who forcibly displaced us in the past years, are now occupying our villages and lands in the areas of Shattai, Keila, Janga, and Gulei.” File photo: Chadian pastoralists Related: ‘New settlers’ in West Darfur demand military training centres, schools, health centres (10 December 2013)West Darfur farmers complain of land seizures in Sirba (12 June 2013)