Report: Satellite images confirm villages destroyed in Central Darfur
“Satellite images confirm the wholesale destruction of villages in Central Darfur in an attack in April 2013 by a militia leader sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC)”, a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) suggests.Ali Kushayb, a suspected war criminal wanted by the ICC, was placed by different witnesses at the scene of recent killing, burning, and looting in South and Central Darfur. He is reportedly the commander of the Central Reserve Forces (CRF, known as Abu Tira) in South Darfur.In line with witnesses accounts provided separately to Radio Dabanga and HRW, Kushayb, a member of the South Darfuri Al Taaysha tribe, fought alongside the Misseriya against the Salamat in Central and South Darfur.HRW says Abugaradil town and neighbouring villages in Central Darfur saw 2,800 buildings torched, which corresponds to 88 percent of structures in the whole area. Similar accounts have also been provided by local witnesses to Radio Dabanga numerous times since the conflict started. “Community leaders from the Salamat Arab ethnic group who had fled to eastern Chad told HRW that more than 42 civilians were killed and scores injured in Abugaradil, 30 kilometres south of Umm Dukhun, on 8 April. More than 100 civilians were killed in what appear to have been coordinated attacks on dozens of Salamat-populated towns and villages in the area”. Multiple witnesses told HRW that “large numbers of heavily armed men fired weapons indiscriminately, burned homes and shops, and stole livestock and other goods including food, clothes, beds, and water pumps. The villagers said the attackers included members of the government’s CRF and Border Guards – auxiliary forces that absorbed former pro-government militia.”“The deliberate destruction of civilian property as well as structures and goods indispensible to the survival of the civilian population are war crimes,” Human Rights Watch said.The organisation also pointed out that the Sudanese government did not intervene to stop the fighting or protect civilians around Abugaradil. In addition, “Sudanese authorities have on several occasions prevented Unamid, which has a mandate to protect civilians, from accessing the area.” It calls for the surrender of Kushayb to the ICC.See below the satellite images by DigitalGlobe 2013, as they appear in the report.Related:Renewed Misseriya – Salamat violence in Central and South Darfur (18 June 2013)Sudan allowed its forces to attack civilians in Darfur tribal battles: HRW (3 June 2013)
“Satellite images confirm the wholesale destruction of villages in Central Darfur in an attack in April 2013 by a militia leader sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC)”, a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) suggests.
Ali Kushayb, a suspected war criminal wanted by the ICC, was placed by different witnesses at the scene of recent killing, burning, and looting in South and Central Darfur. He is reportedly the commander of the Central Reserve Forces (CRF, known as Abu Tira) in South Darfur.
In line with witnesses accounts provided separately to Radio Dabanga and HRW, Kushayb, a member of the South Darfuri Al Taaysha tribe, fought alongside the Misseriya against the Salamat in Central and South Darfur.
HRW says Abugaradil town and neighbouring villages in Central Darfur saw 2,800 buildings torched, which corresponds to 88 percent of structures in the whole area. Similar accounts have also been provided by local witnesses to Radio Dabanga numerous times since the conflict started.
“Community leaders from the Salamat Arab ethnic group who had fled to eastern Chad told HRW that more than 42 civilians were killed and scores injured in Abugaradil, 30 kilometres south of Umm Dukhun, on 8 April. More than 100 civilians were killed in what appear to have been coordinated attacks on dozens of Salamat-populated towns and villages in the area”.
Multiple witnesses told HRW that “large numbers of heavily armed men fired weapons indiscriminately, burned homes and shops, and stole livestock and other goods including food, clothes, beds, and water pumps. The villagers said the attackers included members of the government’s CRF and Border Guards – auxiliary forces that absorbed former pro-government militia.”
“The deliberate destruction of civilian property as well as structures and goods indispensible to the survival of the civilian population are war crimes,” Human Rights Watch said.
The organisation also pointed out that the Sudanese government did not intervene to stop the fighting or protect civilians around Abugaradil. In addition, “Sudanese authorities have on several occasions prevented Unamid, which has a mandate to protect civilians, from accessing the area.” It calls for the surrender of Kushayb to the ICC.
See below the satellite images by DigitalGlobe 2013, as they appear in the report.
Related:
Renewed Misseriya – Salamat violence in Central and South Darfur (18 June 2013)
Sudan allowed its forces to attack civilians in Darfur tribal battles: HRW (3 June 2013)
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