At least six tribesmen were killed and an unknown number wounded in renewed fighting between Ma’aliya and Rizeigat in East Darfur on Wednesday.

A reconciliation conference between the warring tribes in El Fula, West Kordofan, has been going on for days without any progress. Fierce clashes erupted during the event yesterday morning near Abu Jabra in East Darfur.

A resident of Abu Jabra said that the clashes started with the assassination of Ma’aliya Sheikh Mousa inside his house at Abu Jabra El Mahata by suspected Rizeigat tribesmen at 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

“A rescue team was formed by Ma’aliya tribesmen this morning that went searching for the murderers. At about 10 a.m., they were ambushed by Rizeigat. In the ensuing clashes six men of the Rizeigat were killed. Two Ma’aliya were wounded: Zaki Eldin Muhamed Zaki Eldin and Mohamed Adam Amin,” he said.

The source said that tension is building up. “Large groups of both tribes have gathered in the area. They are ready to fight. The Ma’aliya are concentrated in Um Rakuba, Adila, and Abu Karinka, while crowds of Rizeigat gathered in El Sageit and Abu Jabra town. The situation is very tense, and can explode at any moment.”

The resident appealed to both parties to listen to the voice of reason and commit themselves to the halting of hostilities.

File photo: Tribesmen at a Rizeigat-Ma'alia reconciliation conference in 2013 (Hamid Abdelsalam/Unamid)

Reporting by Radio Dabanga