Police forces withdrawn from Wadi Saleh, residents threaten to flee

Residents of Mando and Suga areas in Wadi Saleh locality, Central Darfur, threatened on Tuesday, 15 January, to move to the city of Garsila, unless the police chief re-deploys the police forces which were stationed in both areas and were withdrawn on Sunday, giving the authorities a 3 day ultimatum to meet their demand. A sheikh from the area told Radio Dabanga that the Garsila police chief withdrew all 12 police forces stationed in Mando area and another 10 in Suga on Sunday, without giving any reasons. The sheikh revealed that a delegation from the two areas met with the police chief on Monday and asked him to re-deploy the forces he had withdrawn, which he refused and told them “to do whatever they wanted”. He added that the residents threatened to flee to the city of Garsila unless the police forces are re-deployed to the two areas within 3 days. The residents fear the government militiamen will attack them and loot their properties, the sheikh stated. He pointed out that over 5,000 people live in the area and appealed to the governor of Central Darfur State, Dr. Yousef Tibin and the commissioner of Wadi Saleh to intervene and solve the problem.File photo