Central Darfuris fleeing anticipated clashes between Misseriya and Salamat

Many residents of Umm Dukhun locality in Central Darfur have reportedly begun to leave the area, by vehicles, on animals or on foot, to neighbouring Chad. They expect renewed clashes between the Salamat and Misseriya tribes at any moment. Witnesses reported, while fleeing, that there are large groups of fighters from both sides gathering in the areas of Umm Dukhun, Umm Daggo, Mardaf, and Sileisili. They appealed to the authorities and the ‘native administration’ to quickly intervene to contain the situation and avoid new clashes. Dozens of people were killed and injured during violent clashes between the Salamat and Misseriya in the area of Suwar Waga last Friday.Tensions between the tribes have run high since an incident in Umm Dukhun in April, which escalated into running battles between thousands of tribesmen from both sides. A reconciliation conference was convened in Zalingei and on 1 July – in spite of sporadic flare-ups of violence between tribesmen – the omdas of the tribes announced they had “reached an agreement”. The UNHCR has said that as result of the tribal battles 50,000 people sought refuge in Chad within a short period of time, terming it the “largest influx of refugees from Sudan into Chad since 2005”. File photo: Albert Gonzalez Farran/Unamid Related: New heavy Misseriya-Salamat tribal clashes in Central Darfur (27 September 2013) Warring tribes ‘swear to halt violence’ in Central Darfur (30 July 2013)Tribal violence ‘claims dozens more lives’ in Central Darfur (29 July 2013)