Violence continues as occupying militants refuse to leave North Darfur farms

A farmer was killed and four others were injured on Sunday, when gunmen opened fire in the Gallab area in Tawila, North Darfur, in a continuation of the violence at the weekend that displaced hundreds of people.

The gunfire was from militants after they refused to leave their agricultural land, Adam Ahmed told Radio Dabanga. He said the dead man, Hamed Tarboush (52), was buried in the North Darfur capital of El Fasher on Monday morning, two of the injured were taken to El Fasher hospital, and two others to Tawila hospital. He explained that the gunmen stole six carts and a large number of livestock.

Ahmed said the militants still control all of the villages to which displaced people have returned for agriculture in the areas of Kolgi, Gallab and nearby villages. He said the displaced fled to Zamzam camp after the militants tore-up their tents and stole their belongings.

He said that the road opposite Zamzam camp linking El Fasher with the South Darfur capital of Nyala remained closed for the second day, and noted the closure of all institutions and markets in Zamzam camp. He explained that the joint forces sent by the state government were unable to evacuate the militants from the villages.

In El Fasher, farmers in the Gallab area, in coordination with activists in El Fasher, staged a vigil in front of the Secretariat of the Government of North Darfur on Monday, condemning the attack on more than seven villages in the neighbourhood, including Gallab.

Participants carried banners demanding that the perpetrators be held accountable and brought to justice, as well as removed from the displaced people’s agricultural land and villages.

They were addressed by state governor Nimir Abdelrahman, who stressing the dispatch of a force to open the roads and lift the siege on the groups besieged in the villages, as well as send additional troops with 15 vehicles.

As reported by Radio Dabanga yesterday, at least one person was wounded, five children went missing, and hundreds of people fled their villages in Tawila, North Darfur, on Friday and Saturday, following attacks by groups of gunmen. The North Darfur authorities say the violence was triggered by disputes over the use of agricultural land.