Vital Darfur road link blocked by militants

The main road from the South Darfur capital of Nyala to the North Darfur capital of El Fasher has again been blocked by militant herdsmen at Deribat.

The herders demand the residents of Kator area in East Jebel Marra return camels and cows claimed to have been stolen in the area two weeks ago.

On Tuesday witnesses from East Jebel Marra told Radio Dabanga that militant herders blocked the road, cut down trees, and laid them across the road to prevent the passage of vehicles around Deribat and Dobo El Omda.

Witnesses said that the Commissioner of East Jebel Marra locality spoke to the militants and asked them to open the road but they did not respond.

They said several vehicles are stranded by the closure.

Callers from Mershing told Radio Dabanga that some of the vehicles on their way to Deribat have returned to Nyala, while some of them are still in the Mershing area. A number of them have been to Kidineir market.

In South Darfur, militants hijacked a commercial vehicle on its way from Gireida to Joghana at Tagla. Two vehicles were intercepted by gunmen who opened fire on them.

One of the vehicles managed to return to Gireida while the other one was hijacked.