Renewed campaign against unlicensed vehicles in North Darfur

The security services in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, have launched a major campaign to control unlicensed vehicles that have allegedly recently entered the state from across the border in Libya.

The latest renewed campaign is in response to a decision by the High Commission for the Collection of Unlicensed Firearms and Vehicles that met in El Fasher on Sunday.

The Commission issued a decision to confiscate all unlicensed vehicles in favour of the state without any compensation to the owners.

Eyewitnesses told Radio Dabanga that about 12,000 vehicles at Zurog area in North Darfur were being held by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia.

Ongoing campaign

The latest action is part of an ongoing campaign that was launched last year. According to Presidential Decree 419 of 2017, “illegal weapons, ammunition, and vehicles are to be handed immediately to the Sudan Armed Forces, the state commissioner, or the nearest military or police unit. Any legal action will be taken in line with Sudan’s Criminal Law, the Public Safety Act, and the Arms and Ammunition Act of 1986.”

Arms collection

Nearly one year ago, Khartoum announced a large disarmament campaign in the country, to begin with in Darfur and Kordofan.

Members of the RSF, Sudan’s main government militia, and the army were tasked to collect illegal arms and unlicensed vehicles from civilians. In North Darfur alone, more than 12,500 RSF troops were deployed for this purpose.