10 dead as militia raids villages in Kutum, North Darfur

Ten people were killed, and other injured on Wednesday afternoon in an attack by government militia troops on the area of Birdik, about 50 km north of Kutum, in North Darfur.

“A large group of government militiamen in more than 60 vehicles, and others riding camels, stormed Birdik at about 2 am on Wednesday,” a resident from neighbouring Diyori village told Dabanga.

“They opened fire on the villagers, killing ten people, among them four women, and injuring others. The militiamen then pillaged all the houses in the area.”

He said that most of the people from Birdik and the surrounding hamlets fled to the neighbouring sand dunes and mountains.

Mohamed Ahmed Minawi, independent MP for Um Baru and Karno localities, affirmed to Dabanga Sudan that militia troops attacked all the houses in the area of Birdik, robbing the people of all their belongings and livestock.

“A large group of government militiamen in 80 armoured vehicles, and others on camelback, are roaming in the area of Amarei, Anka, Birdik, Bir Meza, and Um Mahareik,” he said. 

Minawi expressed his fear that these militiamen will extend their attacks to these villages, and appealed to the authorities to “stop the abuses and excesses of those militias”.