West Darfur violence leaves at least 21 dead, thousands displaced

At least 21 people died in attacks on villagers and nomads in Jebel Moon, West Darfur, during the past days. About 20 others were injured. Thousands of villagers fled to eastern Chad after their homes burned to ashes.

Misseriya tribesman Siddig Ibrahim told Radio Dabanga from the Chad-Sudan border that “a large group of heavily armed militiamen riding in four-wheel drive vehicles, on motorcycles and on horses attacked a number of villages in Jebel Moon in the end of last week”.

About 10 villages in addition to camps for the displaced in Jebel Moon burned to the ground. “At least 10 people died, and 14 others were wounded,” he said. “Thousands of people fled to eastern Chad, and are now living in the open in very poor humanitarian conditions.”

He said the people hold the local, state, and federal authorities responsible for the violence.

11 others killed

The Higher Pastoralists Coordination in West Darfur reported that 11 nomads were killed and six others were wounded in an attack in Jebel Moon.

In a statement on Saturday, the Coordination said that a nomad search posse was tracing stolen camels, when they were attacked by “an armed group”.

The statement said that “another group of armed militiamen” stole three camels in the area of Koro in northern Jebel Moon locality “at the same time”.

The pastoralists hold the West Darfur state government responsible for the violence and demand “the central government to reconsider the contents of the Juba Peace Agreement”.