Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and a Darfur rebel group clashed on Monday in an East Darfur town which Khartoum had allegedly lost control of. Meanwhile, an inter-agency mission reported that almost 18,000 people fled the area that is witnessing violence for the past 10 days.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said the bases of the Sudan Liberation Army\u2013 Minni Minawi (SLA-MM) in Labado were \u201cfiercely attacked\u201d by SAF which was using “heavy weapons, vehicles and tanks”.<\/p>\n
SAF\u2019s ground assaults were supported by airstrikes carried out with Antonov aircrafts, Sukhoi and helicopters, according to onlookers, who also \u201cheard explosions\u201d and observed \u201cthick smoke\u201d rising from the area until Monday evening.<\/p>\n
SLA-MM military spokesman Adam Saleh Abkar confirmed all witnesses\u2019 accounts to Radio Dabanga, adding SAF had the support of militias. He added rebel forces \u201cresponded to the attacks\u201d and stressed that clashes and airstrikes were still on-going by Monday night.<\/p>\n
On 6 April SLA-MM reportedly captured the towns of Labado and Muhajeriya scattering thousands of civilians towards local UN bases. The UN mission in Darfur had received reports that displaced were also arriving in Abu Hadid village, near Selea town in Yassin locality.<\/p>\n
According to UNAMID, government authorities had confirmed the rebels\u2019 takeover of Labado and Muhajeriya. Both towns are located in strategic positions along main supply routes used by traders and humanitarians to move supplies from Khartoum through East Darfur to South Darfur, as UN OCHA describes.<\/p>\n
Radio Dabanga could not contact SAF for comments.<\/p>\n
Thousands displaced <\/strong><\/p>\n An inter-agency mission visiting areas in East Darfur, which reportedly received civilians fleeing the SAF -SLA-MM clashes, observed that almost 18,000 people have been displaced as a result of the fighting so far.<\/p>\n In line with their assessment, the condition of the civilians is very serious as they lack water, food and medicines.<\/p>\n Additionally, the deficient support received by the displaced at UNAMID\u2019s Muhajeriya site has caused them to seek refuge in a different location. Many of them are moving on foot and thousands more are still expected to flee the areas surrounding Labado and Muhajeriya.<\/p>\n Lastly, poor security conditions often reported in roads in the region may hamper the delivery of aid to East Darfur\u2019s displaced, considering main towns in the area have been looted and supply is limited.<\/p>\n The assessment team comprised the following agencies: TearFund, Sudan Red Crescent Society (SRCS), World Food Programme (WFP), ZOA, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). <\/p>\n Radio Dabanga file photo: Demonstrations in Kalma camp, South Darfur, against the timing of the Doha donors’ conference. The poster says “We need protection from United Nations”, one of the slongans the displaced chanted during protests. <\/em><\/p>\n Related<\/em>: 15,000 fled clashes, rebels in control of several towns East Darfur<\/a> (12 April 2013)<\/p>\n