Sudanese security agents in East Darfur state on Saturday arrested Rizeigat Paramount Chief, Mahmud Musa Madibo and Ma’alia Chief Mohammed Ahmed Al-Safi over the renewed communal clashes last week.

A senior security official in the area told Radio Tamazuj that a joint security force was deployed with the sole mandate of acting as a buffer zone between the two feuding communities to avoid the conflict from escalating.

He added that the two paramount chiefs and other sub-chiefs were called for a meeting at Kilekel, where they are being detained. The multiple sources indicated that the detained traditional leaders may be taken to Al-Daein or Khartoum for further investigations.

Eye witnesses in the area said security forces also cracked down on armed civilians in Kilekel market on Friday and forcefully disarmed some of them.