RSF militia attacks villages in Darfur’s East Jebel Marra

An unknown number of villagers were injured, others disappeared, and at least three young women were raped in an attack by paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on seven villages in the southern part of Tawila locality, North Darfur, which is popularly known as East Jebel Marra, on Sunday and Monday.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, fleeing villagers reported that a large group of RSF troops riding in more than 75 heavily armed vehicles, raided the villages of Abu Zereiga, Sharafa, Humeida, Dolma, Nemra, Masaleet, and Tokomari.

“They beat us with batons and whips, before they robbed us of our money, belongings, and our livestock,” they said. “At least three young women, aged 17, 19 and 21, of Humeida village were gang-raped.”

The sources could not give more details about casualties, as the people fled “into various directions, most of them headed towards Shangil Tobaya and Tabit”.

They said that the militiamen loaded the pillaged goods, including clothing, household utensils, ceilings and doors of houses and schools, as well as the stolen livestock on large lorries, and left into the direction of Tabit.

“The area of Tabit is already facing a huge drinking water crisis, as the militiamen are in control of all the water stations and wells,” a villager explained. “They are using them to provide water to the livestock, stolen from the area during the past months.”

The vilages of Dolma, Sharafa, and Nemra were attacked before, on 31 December, during the start of the second "dry season offensive" against the rebels in darfur, as announced by the Sudanese government.

Related article: Nine villages attacked by Sudan’s militias, air force in North Darfur (31 December 2014)