Antonov drops 18 barrel bombs on North Darfur villages

An Antonov of the Sudanese Air Force dropped eighteen barrel bombs on three villages in the south-eastern part of Kabkabiya locality in North Darfur today.

The air raids on the villages of Bouli, Bersi, and Kagero villages at the northern part of Jebel Marra started at noon on Thursday, a resident of Bouli village reported to Radio Dabanga.

“The eight barrel bombs dropped on Bouli led to the burning of three homes,” he said.

He could not say if people were killed or wounded or give more details about the bombardments. “We all fled to the nearby valleys and into the mountains.”

On Friday, Sudanese army and militia forces launched a major offensive on Jebel Marra aiming to eliminate the stronghold of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement led by Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW).

At least 34 villages in Jebel Marra have reportedly been abandoned. “The villagers fled high into the mountains, as all roads leading to lower places are closed by government troops,” a listener told Radio Dabanga from Nierteti.

Another source said that in the western part of Jebel Marra, more than 750 families were driven from their homes. They also sought refuge in areas high in the mountains.