Authorities are expected to impose a State of Emergency in the entire state of East Darfur. This comes after the Sudanese army acknowledged that one of its commanders was abused by militia in the state capital Ed Daein last Thursday.
Elements of the paramilitary Border Guards, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) raided a train in Ed Daein on Thursday in search of weapons.
It was rumoured that the train, en route from Nyala to Khartoum, transported large quantities of arms and ammunition for Ma’aliya tribesmen in East Darfur’s Adila locality. Tensions between the warring Ma’aliya and Reizeigat in East Darfur are running high these days.
Col. Sawarmi Khalid Saad, the spokesman for the Sudanese army, acknowledged in a press statement on Monday that Brig. Gen. Esam Mustafa Surour, commander of the 25th Division in Ed Daein, was severely beaten by paramilitary combatants, when he attempted to prevent them from raiding the train.
The spokesman had earlier denied the assault.
RSF leaders said that their militamen were only responding to abuse by the brigadier. Apart from searching the train, the RSF militia also allegedly plundered a number of shops in the vicinity of the train station.
Curfew
The commissioner of El Daein locality, Ali El Taher Sharif, informed Radio Dabanga that the State of Emergency would be announced for East Darfur state on Tuesday.
“A curfew will be imposed from 7 pm until 7 am, to curb the widespread acts of killing, kidnapping, and plundering by outlaws”.
Photo: Train passengers were forced to wait outside while the train was searched for weapons by militia troops, 9 October 2014 (Radio Dabanga)