As many as seven people have been reported killed in East Darfur over the last few days amid high tensions between Rizeigat and Ma'alia tribesmen. Government authorities downplay the possibility of a tribal war and point to new security measures designed to contain the conflict.

Tensions between the tribes began to rise when Ma'alia members allegedly stole several cattle belonging to the Rizeigat, and when a Ma'alia merchant, Hashin Houmeida, nicknamed Al Libi, was allegedly killed by Riezegat tribesmen.

These events prompted a high-level security delegation, as well as Sudanese army troops, to be dispatched to state capital Ed Daein on Thursday.

Radio Tamazuj has since learnt that another possibly related incident occurred Wednesday evening in a place called al-Sahab, which lies between the territories of the Rizeigat and Ma’alia tribes. Three people were killed in that town, two of whom were Ma’alia and one Zaghawa.

A source in the area explained that an armed group riding horses and donkeys killed the three men in al-Sahab, stole some horses and donkeys from the farms in the area, and also abducted 12 people from Misseriya Jebel tribe and took them toward the Bahr al-Arab region.

There are also unconfirmed reports that three more people were killed today or last night in Ed-Daien town itself, and that the government has imposed a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Ali Abu Tolush, acting head of the state assembly, said the government is trying to do its best to prevent tribal conflict. In an interview with Radio Tamauj, he said the state security committee headed by the commissioner of Abu Karinka has been formed to contain the situation.

Governor Abdel Hamid Musa Kasha, in an interview aired on Radio Dabanga on Saturday morning, said the situation is under control. He said that no unusual gatherings of the tribes’ members were reported and he confirmed that no clashes or looting occurred in the area on Friday.

He also denied reports of displacement, saying that that no one, from any tribe, was expelled from Ed Daein, Adila or Abu Karinka. “What is happening is because of poor security added to a war of rumours caused by merchants of war and mercenaries,” Kasha claimed.

The governor admitted that youth of both tribes are inciting further tension by “circulating pamphlets and writing foul statements online.” Lastly, he disclosed that authorities managed to return the stolen cows to the Rizeigat and that they are “very close to catching the perpetrators who killed Al Libi.”

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