Attacks in North Darfur’s Kutum displace more than 30,000
More than 30,000 people were displaced during attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the areas of Hashaba, Um Sidir, and Baashim, northeast of Kutum town in North Darfur on Sunday. Twenty-five villages burned to ashes and a number of water sources were destroyed. Speaking to Radio Dabanga, sources in Kutum locality reported that “Rapid Support Janjaweed” in about 200 Land Cruisers loaded with various weapons attacked the area northeast of Kutum. A number of citizens were killed, others were wounded. The militiamen raped and abducted a large number of women and girls, and plundered the villages in the area before setting 25 of them on fire. They also stole a large number of livestock. More than 30,000 people were forced to flee. Among the villages that burned down are Hashaba El Donkey, Hillat Kurkib at Um Sidir, Hillat Bagar, Hillat Salim, Hillat Abdel Majid, Hillat Sharif Hano, Sani Haya, Hillat Amur, Hillat Deba, Hillat Shangil, Hillat Malawi, Kereiker, Hillat Shamouta, and Hillat Mastour, the sources said. “Some people fled towards El Fasher and Mellit, others are wandering in the valleys, the mountains, and the wilderness. We expect that many children, women, and the elderly will die of thirst.” The attacks on the area were still going on, the sources said. Throughout the night and today (Monday), we heard loud explosions, and saw smoke above the areas north and east of Kutum. The sources urged the Sudanese authorities, the UN, and humanitarian organisations to “intervene as soon as possible to rescue the newly displaced, most of them women, children and the elderly, and to prevent further massacres in the region by the Rapid Support militias”. File photo: A burning house in one of the villages in the area southeast of Nyala, South Darfur, attacked by the Rapid Support Forces on 27 and 28 February 2014 (DRDC) Related:10,000 flee militia attacks on Darfur’s East Jebel Marra (16 March 2014) 18,000 newly displaced arrive at South Darfur camps; El Salam camp surrounded by militia forces (3 March 2014) Thousands displaced in attack on more than 35 villages in South Darfur (28 February 2014)
More than 30,000 people were displaced during attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the areas of Hashaba, Um Sidir, and Baashim, northeast of Kutum town in North Darfur on Sunday. Twenty-five villages burned to ashes and a number of water sources were destroyed.
Speaking to Radio Dabanga, sources in Kutum locality reported that “Rapid Support Janjaweed” in about 200 Land Cruisers loaded with various weapons attacked the area northeast of Kutum. A number of citizens were killed, others were wounded. The militiamen raped and abducted a large number of women and girls, and plundered the villages in the area before setting 25 of them on fire. They also stole a large number of livestock. More than 30,000 people were forced to flee.
Among the villages that burned down are Hashaba El Donkey, Hillat Kurkib at Um Sidir, Hillat Bagar, Hillat Salim, Hillat Abdel Majid, Hillat Sharif Hano, Sani Haya, Hillat Amur, Hillat Deba, Hillat Shangil, Hillat Malawi, Kereiker, Hillat Shamouta, and Hillat Mastour, the sources said.
“Some people fled towards El Fasher and Mellit, others are wandering in the valleys, the mountains, and the wilderness. We expect that many children, women, and the elderly will die of thirst.”
The attacks on the area were still going on, the sources said. Throughout the night and today (Monday), we heard loud explosions, and saw smoke above the areas north and east of Kutum.
The sources urged the Sudanese authorities, the UN, and humanitarian organisations to “intervene as soon as possible to rescue the newly displaced, most of them women, children and the elderly, and to prevent further massacres in the region by the Rapid Support militias”.
File photo: A burning house in one of the villages in the area southeast of Nyala, South Darfur, attacked by the Rapid Support Forces on 27 and 28 February 2014 (DRDC)
Related:
10,000 flee militia attacks on Darfur’s East Jebel Marra (16 March 2014)
18,000 newly displaced arrive at South Darfur camps; El Salam camp surrounded by militia forces (3 March 2014)
Thousands displaced in attack on more than 35 villages in South Darfur (28 February 2014)
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