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Africa Horn
Crisis deepens in West Darfur capital as civilians face targeting and displacement
2023-06-15
[SUDANTRIBUNE] Civilians who have escaped the conflict in West Darfur state said that the state capital El Geneina is currently facing a multifaceted humanitarian and security crisis.

They further reported the ongoing targeting and forced displacement of civilians by Arab militias allied with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), warning that the situation in El Geneina has grown increasingly complex.

Since April 15, El Geneina has been ravaged by violent mostly peaceful conflict that initially erupted between the army and the Rapid Support Forces but has since escalated into festivities between Masalit and Arab tribes. This inter-tribal fighting has resulted in numerous civilian deaths and extensive infrastructure destruction.

On May 17, communication and internet services were severed in the region, effectively isolating it amidst the ongoing tribal conflicts. This isolation has prompted thousands of people to flee to Chad for safety.

Mohammed Ishaq, a resident of the Alshati neighbourhood in El Geneina who managed to reach the Chadian area of "Adré," shared with Sudan Tribune his observations that "the Arab tribal militias are still engaging in massacres targeting all African tribes residing in El Geneina without exception."

Ishaq emphasized that these acts amount to genocide and ethnic cleansing of the indigenous population, forcibly displacing them from their homes. He further detailed the dire situation in neighbourhoods such as Alshati, al-Naseem, al-Thawra, Alzhour, and Alkifah, where armed militias supported by the RSF have invaded these areas and targeted members of African tribes.

"People are being killed solely based on their ethnicity. Hundreds of bodies remain unburied in these neighbourhoods due to the difficulty of reaching them amidst the presence of bully boys," he lamented.

Ishaq highlighted the challenges faced by those who managed to escape El Geneina and reach Chadian territory. They encountered numerous difficulties and came under attack from tribal button men deployed along the main streets, with snipers posing a significant threat to individuals attempting to cross the border.

Related:
West Darfur state: 2023-04-30 Sudan's fighting death toll rose to 528 -health ministry
West Darfur state: 2022-03-12 Sudan gunmen kill 17 civilians in new Darfur clashes
West Darfur state: 2021-11-26 43 killed in clashes in Sudan's restive Darfur: UN
Related:
El Geneina: 2023-04-30 Sudan's fighting death toll rose to 528 -health ministry
El Geneina: 2021-04-19 Sudan increases Darfur joint security force to 20,000 troops
El Geneina: 2021-04-12 Sudan to deploy joint force in Darfur
Posted by:Fred

#1  ...escalated into festivities between Masalit and Arab tribes. This inter-tribal fighting..." Therein lies the crux of the problem. For decades, the Janjaweed criminals supported by the Arab rulers in Khartoum were used to cow the Muslim African tribes in Darfur. Those African tribes were given the general term Masalit.
The Arab tribes in Darfur now have reason to be concerned that the RSF (headed by a Zaghawa Masalit) will achieve its objectives which could mean the excision of Darfur from Khartoum. If that happens there will be a bloodletting and the Masalit will have a revenge whose destruction will surpass all that has gone on the last thirty years.
Posted by: Slavising Unineting5672   2023-06-15 09:10  

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