CAIRO- Alyurae-(AP) — Tribal clashes this week in Darfur killed at least 16 people, a Sudanese medical group said Tuesday as security continued to deteriorate in the war-wrecked western region.
The violence erupted a couple of days ago in the town of Jebel Moon in West Darfur province, which was the scene of deadly tribal violence in recent months, according to the Sudan Doctors Committee. At least 16 others were wounded, it said.
The latest bout of fighting broke out over the stealing of livestock from nomadic Bedouins in the town, according to Darfur 24, a news website.
Clashes in Jebel Moon first erupted in mid-November over a land dispute between Arab and non-Arab tribes. Dozens have been killed since then and authorities have deployed more troops to the area. Sporadic fighting has continued, however.
Meanwhile, the General Coordinator of camps for displaced persons and refugees in Darfur described the security situation in the region as difficult and deteriorating, given what it called the violation of human rights and dignity.
In a statement on Monday, the coordinator accused the government, the former regime and its militias of being behind the violations and crimes in the region.
The statement warned that the security situation is a time bomb that goes from bad to worse than in 2003 and beyond.
She promised that the government had failed to stop mass and individual killings, rapes, displacements, arson and arrests, and accused the government of colluding with, financially supporting and providing immunity to militias.
“The world is silent about these terrible crimes committed by janjaweed militias, which are the former regime, eliminating displaced persons, displacing civilians from their areas and dismantling camps for displaced persons,” the statement continued.
He called on the UN Security Council, the United Nations and the African Union to take serious and decisive decisions to protect displaced persons and unarmed civilians and to send a UN force immediately under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.
“The coup government does not have the seriousness to protect displaced people and civilians in Darfur province, but supports these criminal militias and provides them with full protection to carry out their plans,” he said.
He also called on the International Criminal Court and human rights organizations to urgently monitor the deteriorating security situation in Darfur.
Sudan has been mired in instability following an October military coup that has rattled an already fragile democratic transition. The African country has also faced uphill security and economic challenges since the 2019 overthrow of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir and his Islamist government.
The years long Darfur conflict broke out when rebels from the territory’s ethnic central and sub-Saharan African community launched an insurgency in 2003, complaining of oppression by the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum.
Al-Bashir’s government responded with a campaign of aerial bombings and raids by the janjaweed, a militia that has been accused of mass killings and rapes. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes in Darfur over the years.
Al-Bashir, who has been in prison in Khartoum since his ouster, also faces international charges of genocide and crimes against humanity related to the Darfur conflict.
