Soldiers beat, torture water delegation in North Darfur

Four people, including a policeman and a member of the Popular Defence Forces were severely beaten and tortured by military personnel in the military garrison at Tabit in North Darfur on Tuesday.

Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that residents of the area protested as the military garrison monopolises the only water engine in the area; civilians were prevented from drawing drinking water for most of the week which caused thirst to them and their livestock.

They pointed out that on Tuesday the area water committee asked the army to allow the residents to draw water and to organise it, but the soldiers saw this as interference in their affairs. They allegedly assaulted and beat four members of the water committee and took them to the military garrison.

Callers told this station that the soldiers beat and tortured the head of the Tabit water committee, Abdelaziz Juma (35), his brother Zaki Juma (32), an unnamed member of the Popular Defence Forces, a 35-year-old policeman Taha Abdelkarim, and Abdullah Saleh (42) for two hours and then released them in critical condition.

They said the villagers took them immediately to El Fasher for treatment.