Clashes between the Ma’alia and Rizeigat tribe in Sudan’s East Darfur resulted in 93 people killed and more than 63 injured from the Ma’alia side this week. This figure is higher than the count of 39 deaths cited by Al Sida Ahmed in an earlier report.
Ma’alia tribal leader Ali Mohamed Ali told Radio Tamazuj yesterday that the attack by members of Rizeigat tribe on Abu Karinka killed 93 people and wounded 63 others. He added the attackers abducted about 12 people including six elderly people and one girl.
Ali accused the Rizeigat of mobilising other tribes to participate in the fighting in Abu Karinka area. “We found identification cards of government soldiers and other tribes among the dead bodies after the clashes,” he said.
Ma’alia tribe spokesman Yusuf Hamid also accused the Sudanese government of involvement in the attack, saying the government forces from the Border Guards Unit other mobilized militias participated in the fight.
Hamid questioned the ability of the current government to stop the feud. He told Radio Tamazuj that the Defense Minister Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein and a group of political leaders were in East Darfur State Monday and that they didn’t prevent the Rizeigat tribe from attacking Abu Karinka.
He disclosed that his tribe will resort to the United Nations and the International Court of Arbitration to seek protection since the government through its militias are apparently involved in the attack.
Rizeigat leader admits attack
For his part, Mahmoud Musa Madibo, a top Rizeigat tribal leader, confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that the security situation has returned to normal after the government forces intervened.
Madibo admitted they attacked Abu Karinka area on Monday. He claimed that the Ma’alia tribe had carried out five attacks on them, killing 21 people shortly after the Merowe peace conference.
When asked about causalities from their side, Madibo said the casualties are yet to be announced.
A source said that the Sudanese army collected about 40 dead bodies from the Rizeigat tribe after the clashes in Abu Karinka area. The native administration of the Rizeigat tribe was called to come and bury the dead bodies, according to the same source.
Madibo acknowledged that the army called them with regard to the dead bodies from their side. However, he denied killing of such a number of people from their side.
Another source who preferred anonymity told Radio Tamazuj that shops remained closed for three days in Ad Daein town and that public institutions halted and citizens remained indoors, while armed men who come from the fighting were moving on streets.
UN concerned
In Khartoum, UN resident and acting humanitarian coordinator in Sudan Geert Cappalaere expressed deep concern about reports of clashes between the Ma’alia and Rizeigat.
In a statement on Monday, he called on warring tribes to stop fighting immediately, exercise restraint to prevent further escalation, and support mediation efforts to resolve the underlying causes of the conflict by peaceful means.
“These towns are full of ordinary people, most of them women and children, who are just trying to live in peace. They should not have to carry the burden of renewed conflict. I would like to remind all parties to this conflict that they have an obligation to protect civilians and to allow them unhindered access to humanitarian assistance,” reads the statement.