Deadly Darfur tribal conflict: More than 30 killed, 56 injured

More than 30 people are reported to have been killed in clashes between the Fallata and Rizeigat tribesmen in South Darfur’s capital of Nyala, on Wednesday. The Nyala Teaching Hospital received over 56 wounded people, many of them children, on Thursday. Ambulances made their first trip to receive the injured in El Muweilih, east of Sargila, and in Habeel, near Um Baloula, since the renewed tribal clashes started four days ago.

Currently in the fourth day of unrest, the conflict between the tribesmen was sparked by the decision to demarcate the borders between tribes – which was issued by the Committee to Address the Situation in Eastern Sudan, headed by Gen Mohamed ‘Hemeti’ Dagalo, Vice-President of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council.

Relatives of the victims told Radio Dabanga, that children and women were missing after their villages were burned. Witnesses in the area also told Radio Dabanga, that heavy gunfire could be heard throughout Wednesday night, well into Thursday afternoon.

In a statement yesterday, the South Darfur State Security Committee condemned the attacks as an “unjustified onslaught on defenceless people”. The committee also announced the formation of an urgent commission to inquire and determine the full facts of these events.

The National Umma Party blamed Sudan’s coup authority, the Sovereignty Council, for their poor efforts in “containing the deadly spread of weapons in Darfur”. In their statement, the party also called for increased security in the area and demanded the judicial authorities “investigate the events to identify those responsible and bring them to an urgent trial”. The Umma Party also appealed to both tribal factions to stop the fighting.