Woman miscarries after beating on road to Bir Dageeg, West Darfur

On Monday, armed pro-government militiamen wearing Central Reserve Forces (Abu Tira) uniforms assaulted and robbed a group of 12 women and five men who were returning to Bir Dageeg camp from Thawani market in West Darfur.Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the militiamen encountered the group about seven kilometers from the camp, beating them severely and causing a pregnant woman to miscarry.The militiamen seized the goods the displaced had bought at the market – grain, sugar, oil and other consumer items – and robbed them of any money they were carrying.In a similar incident on the same day, members of another militia attacked displaced persons returning to camp Saraf Jidad from Tendelti market.Witnesses reported that the militants attacked the group about nine kilometers west of the camp in El Geneina locality, seizing all of their goods and money.Price hikesSources have told Radio Dabanga that the deteriorating security situation at Sirba locality has resulted in price hikes at Saraf Jidad. The price of a pound of sugar is now SDG 6 ($1.36), washing powder SDG 5 ($1.15) and a pound of oil SDG 12 ($2.70).To make matters worse, Armenkol market, where the displaced persons usually do their shopping, has been closed for more than three weeks due to militia activity, sources added.Some activists of Sirba locality termed the current situation “a process of impoverishment and economic blockade”.They appealed to the commissioner of the locality and the state government to immediately intervene in deterring the militias and restoring security to the region.“This will allow citizens and displaced persons to go about their normal daily life activities.”Similar complaints were lodged by displaced persons in Sirba last week.File photo by Albert González Farran/UNAMIDRelated: West Darfur: Insecurity in camps causing food shortage (9 May 2013)