Sudan Peace Groups Deploy Combatants to Protect Civilians in North Darfur

Peace signatory groups patrol to protect civilians in El Fasher of North Darfur on April 27, 2023

April 27, 2023 (EL-GENEINA) – Five armed movements, signatory of the Juba peace agreement, on Thursday, deployed hundreds of fighters on four-wheel drive vehicles to secure the city of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.

The deployment aims at protecting civilians from militia attacks, as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continued their attacks on the city of El Geneina in West Darfur.

Observers fear that the ongoing conflict between the army and the RSF paramilitary group, made up of the Arab tribes of Darfur, may lead to the involvement of Darfur armed groups in the ongoing conflict in the country.

Ahmed Hussein Mustafa, the spokesman for the Sudan Liberation Movement- Minni Minnawi told Sudan Tribune that a joint force comprising 5 armed movements with 120 military vehicles has been formed to secure the headquarters of government institutions, international organizations, and all areas west of El Fasher.

“The force aims to maintain security and stability, spread reassurance among civilians, combat negative phenomena, and resolve unruly groups that have appeared in the past days, active in looting, theft, and assaulting civilians and their property,” Mustafa said.

During the past few days, El-Fasher witnessed bloody clashes between the army and RSF fighters in different parts of the city, killing 61 civilians.

Mediation by the governor of North Darfur, Nimir Abdel Rahman, and traditional leaders succeeded to establish a permanent cease-fire.

However, armed Arab groups appeared on motorcycles and four-wheel drive vehicles in the city’s neighbourhoods after the fighting stopped. They carried out widespread looting and assaulting civilians in El Fasher. Also, they attacked Shala prison, releasing all inmates.

The SLM-MM spokesman stressed that the armed movements have taken a neutral position since the outbreak of the war and are seeking to mediate between the warring groups to stop the conflict and resort to a negotiated settlement.

The armed movements that make up this force are the SLM-MM, the SLM- Transitional Council headed by Al-Hadi Idris, in addition to Justice and Equality led by Gibril Ibrahim, the Sudan Liberation Forces Gathering, and the Sudanese Alliance Forces.

El Geneina in fire

In a new development of the conflict between the Masalit and Arab tribes, armed militias launched a violent attack on El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state, for the fourth day.

The conflict has claimed more than 90 lives until Wednesday, as thousands of people fled to neighbouring Chad seeking refuge from the militiamen.

Mohamed Hasaballah, a resident of the “Customs” neighbourhood, reported that the armed Arab tribes raided the western and eastern neighbourhoods of the city,  firing indiscriminately and causing many deaths.

Hasaballah said he saw the armed men setting fire to the temporary shelter camps for the displaced, and forcing the residents to flee.

“What is happening in El Geneina is genocide and ethnic cleansing in the absence of the army, police and regular agencies,” he said.

A medical source confirmed that the headquarters of the Ministry of Health were completely destroyed, looted, and set on fire. He also reported an attack on the Geneina Teaching Hospital, the destruction of X-ray machines, and the doctors’ residence.

The source added that a number of medical personnel were killed.

Activists spoke about the continued influx of armed men from the states of North and Central Darfur to El Geneina, highlighting fears that if the conflict continues for more days.

(ST)