Five dead in North Darfur militia shootings

Five people were killed, and another was wounded during shootings in El Fasher locality, North Darfur, on Tuesday.

A trader at the market of Kafod, near Korma, told Radio Dabanga that fierce fighting broke out during a funeral, after two paramilitaries of the Popular Defence Forces (PDF) and a militiaman were fatally hit by bullets at the Kafod market, near Korma, on Tuesday morning.

“It all started with a quarrel inside the market between PDF troops and militiamen. The brawl, however, led very fast to heavy exchange of fire,” a trader reported to Radio Dabanga from Kafod. “All the customers, vendors, and traders fled the market.”

He said that the bodies of the two PDF members were taken to their villages in the vicinity, to be buried immediately. “The body of Fathi Adomo Sabeel was taken to Ferdal village, and that of Adam Yasin to the village of Lombati.

“Yet, during the burial of Sabeel, a large force of militiamen coming from the area of Umsayyala, north of Kafod, stormed the cemetery of Ferdal, and opened fire at the mourners. Two of them, Ishag Yahya Adam and Adam Digeisha died on the spot, while another mourner was injured,” the source reported.

After the shooting at the cemetery, the militiamen went to the market of Kafod. “They stole a Land Rover, and plundered more than 40 shops at the market.”

“The people of Kafout and the neighbouring villages appeal to the North Darfur authorities to urgently intervene,” he added, “and resolve the conflict between the PDF paramilitaries and the militiamen.”