Central Darfuris prevented from helping relatives in Saraf Omra

Militiamen are preventing relatives of people living in Saraf Omra locality to move them to a safer place. “There are many families in Zalingei who are worried about their relatives in Saraf Omra, and want to bring them to Zalingei,” a relative of an affected family told Radio Dabanga. “We rented five Nissan lorries, and went to Saraf Omra. There we were stopped by government-backed militiamen in vehicles mounted with machine guns and other types of weapons. They threatened to use violence if we transported our relatives and their belongings from Saraf Omra to Zalingei, so we returned with empty lorries.” The relative wondered where the state authorities are amid these assaults and abuses against innocent citizens, saying that he holds them and the security forces responsible. File photo: Parting women in a Darfur camp for the displaced Related: Militias leave North Darfur’s Saraf Omra; relief arrives (16 March 2014) Musa Hilal’s militias plunder, burn, take control of North Darfur’s Saraf Omra (9 March 2014)