UXO kills two men, bombing continues in Darfur’s Jebel Marra

The Sudanese Air Force continues to bomb areas east of Jebel Marra in the Darfur region. Two men were killed in an explosion in the area on Tuesday.

People near Deribat reported to this station that the Air Force dropped a total of 15 bombs around 6am on Monday. The explosion set homes in Abta, lemon gardens and forests ablaze.

The fire in Abta, seven kilometres north of Deribat in South Darfur, spread to nearby homes, fortunately without causing any casualties.

The bombardment took place on the seventeenth day of the Sudanese army's military offensive against the rebel stronghold in the mountains. The UNHCR estimated last week that at least 34,000 people have fled their villages in Jebel Marra to camps for displaced people in the vicinity of the mountainous area. 'About 19,000 civilians have fled into North Darfur and up to 15,000 into Central Darfur,' the UN said.

An unknown number of people cannot manage to flee and shelter in caves and forests higher in the mountains against the aerial bombardments and ground attacks.

Two killed by UXO

Two camel herders were killed in an explosion of an unexploded ordnance (UXO) near Dolma, East Jebel Marra, on Tuesday afternoon.

A shepherd told Radio Dabanga that the incident occurred near the water well of Bir Genik, where Hamouda Ibrahim Saleh (25) and Saad Bahareddin Omar (35) were walking with their camels. Five of their animals did not survive the explosion either.

Years of conflict have left Darfur littered with potentially deadly explosives and munitions (UXO). Radio Dabanga appeals to listeners throughout Darfur (and elsewhere in our reception area) not to touch any ‘unexploded’ grenades or other ammunition found in the field. Mark its position clearly to alert others, and report it immediately to a camp elder, Unamid and/or the local police.