Members of the Security Services have arrested four displaced persons before plundering and torching seven houses in the Al Omada neighbourhood of Nertiti in Central Darfur.<\/p>\n
Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the incident began when several \u201csecurity service troops\u201d moved through the neighbourhood and encountered a group of youths who were \u201changing around\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe troops accused the youths of being \u2018rebels\u2019,\u201d the witness said. \u201cA fight then broke out between the youths and the security troops.\u201d<\/p>\n
The troops then reportedly withdrew, only to return later with four armed Land Crusers and reinforcements. \u201cBy the time they returned, the youths were no longer to be found, so they arrested for arbitrary people before setting seven houses on fire,\u201d a witness said. Mohanad Adam, his brother Adam Adam, a neighbour Zakaria, and Mirjam Darazo were arrested.<\/p>\n
Miriam Darazo\u2019s house was torched, as well as those of Halima Abdulla Mahmud, Adam Ahmed, Mohamed Ahmed, Ibrahim Gulti, and Halima Abdulla Jabral.<\/p>\n
The commissioner of Nertiti location has set a curfew 7:00pm to 6:00am. Inhabitants of the city say that the curfew was announced via megaphones mounted on Land Cruisers that are driven through the town and camps for the displaced warning citizens to stay indoors and off the streets.<\/p>\n
The inhabitants have complained that the curfew disrupts their daily lives. Not only does it limit the movement of farmers and traders, but it also forces them to combine their sundown and evening prayer schedules into one.<\/p>\n
On the night of 9 June, government forces reportedly launched an offensive on Nertiti North camp, firing indiscriminately, and killing an aid worker. At least 15 displaced people were injured, 54 houses were burned and 18 donkeys were stolen. Hundreds of displaced fled the camp to Nertiti city and southwards.<\/p>\n
The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan expressed “shock” at the “killing of the doctor and the injury of several other civilians, occurred because an exchange of fire”.<\/p>\n
However, a leader of Nertiti North camp strongly denied to Radio Dabanga that there was an \u201cexchange of fire\u201d, insisting that what happened was a unilateral shooting by government forces.<\/p>\n
File photo<\/em><\/p>\n Related: <\/em>Sheikhs tally losses after SAF raid on Nertiti camp in Central Darfur<\/a> (19 June 2013)<\/p>\n