Sudan violence continues; UXO removed from South Darfur capital

One person was shot dead and three others were wounded in Arbaji in El Gezira yesterday by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) who raided the area. In greater Khartoum, fighting between the army and the RSF continued. Volunteers of the Sudanese NGO Baladna have extracted 771 pieces of unexploded ordnance (UXO) from various neighbourhoods of Nyala, capital of South Darfur.

Yesterday, a group of RSF paramilitaries invaded Arbaji in El Gezira and shot at a group of young volunteers protecting the neighbourhood in the area. One of them was killed and three others were injured, the Arbaji Resistance Committees reported in a statement later that day.

The statement said that the RSF force stormed Arbaji with the aim to rob the people their belongings.

A listener reported from El Beryab in southern El Gezira that nine villagers sustained serious bullet wounds when RSF paramilitaries plundered the village for two consecutive days.

Radio Dabanga reported earlier this week that some markets in Khartoum  are witnessing significant price drops due to an influx of stolen goods from El Gezira. 

Greater Khartoum

Listeners in Khartoum reported aerial bombardments in the vicinity of the General Command in the city centre yesterday. They also heard sounds of RSF anti-aircraft firing rockets from the eastern neighbourhoods of Khartoum.

In Omdurman, clashes continued between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF near the Engineers Corps in El Mohandiseen for the third consecutive day.

Residents still living in the area of Abu Si’d, south of El Mohandiseen, told Radio Dabanga that they heard explosions and intermittent sounds of bullets coming from the neighbourhood.

Old Omdurman and the Omdurman El Soug El Shaabi witnessed sporadic clashes.

UXOs removed

The Baladna Organisation for Social Development, which also works in the field of collecting explosive devices that have not detonated as intended (UXOs) reported yesterday that its volunteers have been able to extract 771 unexploded missiles and other devices in Nyala, capital of South Darfur.

Since war erupted between the SAF and RSF on April 15, Nyala has regularly witnessed fierce battles for the control of the strategically and economically important city in the region. The SAF garrison of Nyala fell to the RSF in end October. The Sudanese air force bombed several places in the city in mid- December.

As reported by Radio Dabanga in September, roads and neighbourhoods in the South Darfur capital were littered with explosive remnants of the battles.

Baladna stated in its report over May 25-December 25 that it received 871 reports about unidentified military devices objects in 14 neighbourhoods. Ten reports turned out to be fake.

The devices collected were dismantled and disposed by a team of 55 engineers, markers, and first aid technicians. The UXOs were found in homes, on roads, markets and cemeteries in Nyala. The report, however, noted that “the roofs of buildings and shops at the Nyala Grand Market have not been cleaned yet”.

The organisation added that it has carried out awareness programmes on the dangers of UXOs and placed danger signs in areas where it received reports of the presence of unidentified objects. “Baladna is working to ensure that Nyala will be entirely free of all remnants of war.”