West Darfur police kills militia, faction encloses station

A pro-government militia enclosed the police station of camp Kendebe in Sirba locality, West Darfur. They also looted homes, shops at the central market, and beat civilians.

The incident happened after policemen killed a member of the faction who had stolen cows belonging to Sirba, hours before, the locality’s commissioner says.

Displaced people told Radio Dabanga the attack occurred at 1:00pm on Tuesday. The perpetrators, driving Land Cruisers, horses and camels, also seized “two vehicles mounted with Dushkas” from the police station.  

Following the attacks, Kendebe’s shops and schools were closed and residents fled to their homes.

Sources could not yet confirm the amount of casualties because citizens are still sheltering indoors.

The commissioner of Sirba locality, Abdullah Tayeb Torshin, confirmed to Radio Dabanga the occurrence of the attack in Kendebe, but strongly denied that any civilians were killed and that police vehicles were seized.

Instead, he continued, the perpetrators stole the Dushkas from the police vehicles and only parts of the market and homes in the outskirts of the camp were looted.

According to the commissioner, the situation is quiet and under control at the moment. He revealed that troops from El-Geneina and Sirba city have arrived at the locality along with joint Sudanese-Chadian forces.

Stolen cows

Torshin explained the insurgents had stolen cows belonging to the Sirba city and fled to an area near Kendebe.

The police chased the perpetrators and killed one of them at “exactly 12:00pm”. This prompted the gunmen surround the camp’s station and loot homes and shops.  

Radio Dabanga file photo