Water shortage sparks herder attack at North Darfur well

An attack by armed herders on residents of Abujidad area of Kornoi locality in North Darfur on Tuesday has left 10 people injured; four of them seriously. The herders were attempting to prevent the residents from drawing water.

The Member of Parliament of Kornoi and Um Baru constituency Minawi Digeish reported that on Tuesday a group of Arab herders opened fire on Zaghawa tribe members who were drawing water from a well at Abujidad area. Four of the villagers were taken in serious condition to Kornoi hospital.

He said the attackers prevented the residents from taking water from the well and threatened to kill anyone who comes to the area.

He pointed out that the Commissioner of Kornoi and Shartai, Adam Sabi moved to the scene to contain the situation.

Water sources are under pressure across Sudan. An ongoing country-wide fuel crisis means that water pumps cannot be run. The Khartoum government has pledged to resolve the crisis ‘soon’, but no solution is in sight in the short term.

On Thursday a reconciliation conference was launched between the Falata and Salamat in Buram of South Darfur.

The conference aims to discuss ways to enhance stability and social peace in the region and put in place measures to ensure the peaceful coexistence of tribes in the southern sector of South Darfur and the neighbouring communities of East Darfur.

Over the past years Falata and Salamat tribes have entered into conflicts and bloody fighting, killing hundreds of people on both sides and displacing thousands of villagers.

Second Vice-President Hasabo Mohamed Abdelrahman is expected to witness the signing of a reconciliation agreement between the two tribes.