Military raid on South Darfur camp ‘a farce’: Sheikh

The displaced of Darfur hold the UN Security Council and Unamid responsible for the military raid on El Salam camp for the displaced in South Darfur, at the beginning of this week. In a statement to Radio Dabanga, the coordinator of the South Darfur camps said the attack on the El Salam in Nyala is contrary to the rules of displacement and the United Nations. “It is the UN and Unamid’s responsibility to protect the displaced. The camps are not havens for criminality; people enter these camps because of the ravages of war.” The leader of El Salam camp, Sheikh Mahjoub Adam Tabaldiya, confirmed to Radio Dabanga that a combined force consisting of security services, the army, and the police stormed the camp with more than 150 military vehicles, led by Abdel Rahman Gardud, Commissioner of Nyala locality. Sheikh Tabaldiya termed the raid a farce. “When they entered the camp, they told the elders that they were searching for alcohol and drugs, but they were really looking for vehicles belonging to the armed movements, and families of rebels. “The military force did not find anything, but arrested more than 75 people and took them to the military court in Nyala. As there was no proof against them, all but four were released.” Haroun Saleh, Yagoub Abdel Rahman Abdallah, Mahmoud and Saleh Abdallah are reportedly still in detention in Nyala.Tabaldiya said that during the raid, 23 displaced people sustained various injuries as a result of beating and whipping. More than SDG 28,000 ($5,000) and 115 mobile phones were stolen by the raiders. The displaced approached Commissioner Gardud and the commander of the force, and pointed out the thieves. When the accused men were searched, they still had some of the stolen money and goods in their pockets. File photo: President Omar Al Bashir inspects Sudanese army troops Related: Military raid on South Darfur’s El Salam camp (5 August 2014)