Sudanese army guard Garsila market as ‘Misseriya gather for assault’: Witnesses

Conflicting reports are reaching Radio Dabanga about the death toll from renewed clashes between Misseriya and Salamat tribes that have raged in Central Darfur since Monday. While much of the action has been in the vicinity of the city of Garsila, the latest reports suggest that clashes have also occurred at Muradaf, Kamgar, and Hajar Abiet near Umm Dukhun. As reported previously by Radio Dabanga, the violence was sparked when, according to witnesses, the merchant Yaqoub Abubakar, a member of the Salamat tribe, was killed – allegedly by Misseriya tribesmen – in his shop at Garsila market on Monday. Subsequently, a presence of Sudanese Armed Forces in Garsila have kept the warring tribes out of the city itself, but witnesses say that cashes continued outside the city throughout Thursday. Reports by AFP quoted tribal sources such as Ahmed Khiri as claiming “94 dead”, however Misseriya field commander Ahmed Ad Digeri Fiefl told Radio Dabanga on Sunday that his forces have “killed 86 Salamat and injured dozens,” conceding that the Misseriya suffered eight dead and 18 injured. A field commander of the Salamat, who requested Radio Dabanga not to publish his name for security reasons, contends that “the Misseriya killed 52 Salamat and injured about 20 on Friday”. He claimed that the Salamat “have killed 17 Misseriya, injured several, and captured 73 small arms”. Shops, schools and government institutions remain closed in Bundisi city due to the proliferation of militiamen, some of whom reportedly broke into shops at the city market. Witnesses from within Bundisi told Radio Dabanga that “citizens are still trapped indoors”. They also reported that transport to and from the city has ground to a halt because the road links between Mukjar, and Garsila, Umm Dukhun, and Foro Burunga are “completely closed due to the spread and the stationing of militias in the streets”. They said that the army has erected positions at the entrances to the market to repel any attack, as the Misseriya militants “continue to gather outside the town and seem to be preparing for an assault on the city market at any time”. File photoRelated: Tribal clashes claim 10 more lives in Central Darfur (26 July 2013) ‘At least 100 dead, dozens injured’ as Salamat and Misseriya clash again in Central Darfur (11 June 2013)