Series of assaults, winter crops destroyed in Darfur

During the past few days, the area of Birkat Seira in Saraf Omra locality, North Darfur, witnessed a series of assaults and raids by militiamen. At the same time, winter crops were lost. A resident of the area told Radio Dabanga that “Janjaweed” constantly subject the people of the region to beating, robbing, and raid their homes. Most recently, the source said, Ahmed Yahya, Sharif Abdel Majeed, Aila Yusif Adam, and Haidar Ibrahim Zaroug were beaten and robbed of their belongings. He added that winter crops like onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, cress, and okra were destroyed by herders releasing their livestock on the farmlands in the area. Road closed Movement on the road between Gireida and Nyala in South Darfur was suspended on Saturday, because of the continuing attacks and plundering by “government-backed militiamen”. A listener told Radio Dabanga that in the latest incident, on Saturday, a citizen called Bakhit was shot, and robbed of his vehicle. The merchants of Gireida locality have complained about the damage caused to their businesses as a result of the closure of the road between Nyala and Gireida. Patients whose treatment requires travelling to Nyala are suffering as well. The residents in the area demanded from the local authorities to open the road again, and expel the “Janjaweed” from the area. File photo (Radio Dabanga) Related: ‘Militia control Kutum in North Darfur’: residents (23 January 2014)