Robbery in Garsila market, Central Darfur, escalates into inter-tribal clash

Nine people have died in violent clashes that erupted in the city of Garsila in Central Darfur on Monday afternoon that reportedly began as a robbery by militiamen, but soon escalated along tribal lines. According to reports to reach Radio Dabanga, the violence was sparked when armed men opened fire and killed the merchant Yaqoub Abubakar in his shop in Garsila market. This caused the market to close while shoppers and traders fled to their homes. Witnesses said that after Abubakar’s slaying, clashes broke out between his relatives, militiamen, and local police, with militia and tribal loyalties becoming blurred. The violence reportedly escalated as armed local policemen came to the neighbourhood to defend their families, which led to the death of six policemen and two civilians. Witnesses said that “the army” managed to halt the clashes on Monday evening. However they flared-up again on Tuesday when armed mourners began firing into the air following the funerals of the victims. The latest reports to reach Radio Dabanga say that sporadic clashes continued in the city until Tuesday evening. Shops, schools and government institutions have closed their doors; the city’s inhabitants have fled to their homes and all roads empty of pedestrians. File photo by Albert González Farran/Unamid