Seven dead, six wounded in West Darfur herder attack

Seven people were killed, including the Imam of a mosque, and six others were wounded on Wednesday in an attack by herdsmen on farmers in Um Tajok, Kereinik locality in West Darfur.

Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that a group of farmers went out on Wednesday to cultivate their lands. A group of Abbala herders intercepted them. The herders argued that the land has been ‘liberated’ and has become a pasture for camels and cattle.

When the farmers refused and insisted that the land belongs to them for farming, the herdsmen opened fire, killing seven of them outright, and wounding six others. Some of the wounded are in serious condition.

Witnesses said the dead include the Imam of Um Tajok mosque, Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Banat, crop dealer Abboud Kibir, Abdelmola Ishag, Ishag Hassan, Baruldin Mohammed Ahmed, Hassan Abdullah, and Tarig Adam.

Callers say the search for dead and wounded in valleys, forests and, sandy lands have been ongoing until Wednesday evening, along with searching for a number of the missing.

Tur killing

The high committee for refugees and displaced persons has condemned Monday’s attack by Abbala tribesmen that left at least five people dead in Tur in Nierteti locality, Central Darfur.

The statement accused the ruling National Congress Party, security forces, and border guards of committing organised crimes against the unarmed civilians in the area.

Sheikh Abdel Razeg Yousif Suleiman told Radio Dabanga on Wednesday that “the security forces and pro-government militias target the citizens for the purpose of killing them, displacing them from their camps, and burning their villages. This is in order to expel them from their places to be replaced by newcomers”.

Sheikh Matar Younis, head of the high committee for refugees and displaced persons renewed charges against the government and security apparatus of “committing ethnic cleansing, arousing tribal conflicts, burning villages, and the displacing residents from their camps in Darfur”.

He held the security services and the National Congress regime responsible for Tur incidents and described them as a massacre.