Sudan army attacks Darfuris after killing of rapist in Jebel Marra

Members of the military garrison of Golo in Central Darfur’s Jebel Marra besieged the area on Thursday following the killing of a soldier who, together with others, raped a group of women.

“On Thursday morning, army soldiers raped a number of women who were collecting water at a well near Golo in Rokoro locality,” El Shafee Abdallah, Coordinator of the Central Darfur camps told Dabanga Radio.

“While they were raping the women, people in the area rushed to the scene and beat the rapists with sticks and stones, killing one of them, and wounding others. The soldiers fled back to the military garrison of Golo. The army troops then besieged the area, and terrorised the people with a barrage of missiles and bullets,” he reported.

“They raided houses, shops, and even the market, and robbed the people of their belongings. They forced a large number of donkey cart owners to transport the stolen goods to the garrison,” the camp coordinator said. The people who were able to escape sought shelter in mountain caves and valleys.

He called the army attack on unarmed citizens “a very serious incident that needs a transparent and urgent investigation”.

“We also call on human rights organisations, Unamid, and other UN agencies to treat the wounded, treat the victims, return the stolen property, and prosecute the criminals, including the commissioner of Rokoro and the commander of the garrison,” he said.