Three dead, two injured as missiles hit Tabit, North Darfur

Three sisters were burned to death, and two other people sustained injuries when the Sudan Armed Forces shelled the village of Tabit, south of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, on Monday morning.   A relative of the deceased told Radio Dabanga that government forces at the military base of Tabit at 4am on Monday launched seven missiles towards Tabit, located 1.5km south of the base. Two of them hit the village. “Houses burned to ashes and Nurelsham Mousa Abul Gasim (27, and seven-months pregnant), Fatima Mousa Abul Gasim (14), and Nurelhoda Mousa Abul Gasim (13) burned to death inside their home. Mohamed Osman, also known as Zekenj, and Omar Yahya Saleh were injured. Several livestock were also killed. “The three sisters were orphans. Government forces buried them on the same day. The injured were transferred to El Fasher for treatment.” “The village was empty all day. When the residents of Tabit woke up by the shelling at 4am, they fled to the neighbouring valleys and mountains. Many of them only returned until late in the evening.” Other missiles hit the area near Hashaba village, 4km south of Tabit. The source did not mention fatalities. The shelling is not the first of its kind, he said. “These government forces are launching missiles towards East Jebel Marra at an almost daily basis. This area is a very strategic area, for rebels and government forces alike. Almost all the traffic between East Jebel Marra, or Nyala, and El Fasher passes through our area.” The relative of the deceased demanded from the authorities to hold the offenders among the government forces accountable, arrange for payment of blood money for the three deceased sisters, treat the wounded, and compensate all the households of Tabit affected by the shelling. File photo: A North Darfur village after an attack (Albert González Farran/Unamid)