Calm returns to Abu Karinka, East Darfur after Rizeigat attack
A top Ma’alia tribal leader said the security situation was calm Thursday in Abu Karinka area in East Darfur, Sudan, following deadly clashes between them and the Rizeigat tribe earlier this week.
Yusuf Ali Hamid, spokesman of the Ma’alia tribe, told Radio Tamazuj that the area has been calm on Wednesday and Thursday.
He said a national government delegation from Khartoum arrived in Abu Karinka to investigate the incident, besides the organized forces collecting dead bodies from the Rizeigat side.
Yusuf denied claims that the government team was dispatched to mediate between the feuding Ma’alia and Rizeigat tribes. However, he welcomed any peace initiative from wise leaders in order to stop bloodshed in East Darfur.
Meanwhile, an alliance of the Sudanese opposition political parties blamed the recent tribal clashes on the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).
The opposition group accused the government of inciting inter-communal conflicts in the Darfur region, while calling on citizens to fight for freedoms and find a democratic alternative in Sudan.
Casualties may be over 100
Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan confirmed thousands of people fled due to the recent fighting in Abu Karinka’s East Darfur.
The UN agency said the number of casualties between the two tribes could reach over one hundred, while confirming that hospitals in Abu Karinka started to admitting hundreds of injured people and reports of both civilian and combatant casualties on Monday.
Reports of displacement in East Darfur and the surrounding states have been received; however, this information has not yet been verified, according to the OCHA.
The UN agency added the humanitarian partners are undertaking preparedness measures to respond immediately once fighting ceases and access is obtained.
According to UNAMID, a significant portion of Abu Karinka town has been destroyed. An unknown number of people remain in the town urgently requiring water, food, and fuel for generators, as electricity has been cut off.
Related:
Sudan govt reportedly sends envoy to resolve Ma'alia, Rizeigat conflict (14 May)