Sudan: Armed militias attacks Tamur Jameel village, North East Zalingi in Central Darfur state

(4 May 2020) The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) has documented attacks perpetrated against civilian targets in central Darfur State by the Sudanese Armed militias. The attack took place on 21 April 2020 at about 2:00pm in the village of Tamur Jameel, North East Zalingi town. At least 2 civilians were killed and 5 others seriously injured whilst 7 women were allegedly raped. Reliable information further indicates that 70 houses and tens of shops at the local market were set on fire and burnt to the ground, more than 100 livestock were looted and hundreds of civilians have been displaced to the Hameedia IDP camp in Zalingi town.

In the morning of 21 April 2020, a body of a herder who belongs to the Arab militias was found in well at one of the farms of the Tamur Jameel village and the militias accused the villagers of killing the herder. In the afternoon of the same day at about 2:00pm, an armed group of ten herders on camelbacks and motorcycles raided the village of Tamur Jameel while opening fire heavily from 2:00pm to 7:00 pm. The militiamen arrested several men from Tamur Jameel village, including some tribal leaders and members of the civil administration in the village and detained them arbitrarily in the police station after they disarmed the police officer and took over the police station.

ACJPS has obtained the names of those killed, they are;

1. Abaker Ismail Mohamed , male, 40 years
2. Abdeljabar Ateam Joumma, male, 45 years

ACJPS has obtained the details of those injured, they include;

1. Ayman Adam Mustafa , male, 14 years
2. Haleema Hassan Konyor, female, 45 years
3. Haroun Musa Ismail, male, 20 years
4. Idrees Isa Dawood, male, 34
5. Musa Ismail Mohamed , male, 60 years

ACJPS condemns the arbitrary attacks on civilians in Tamur Jameel and calls on the Transitional Government of Sudan to:

• Officially and publicly condemn the arbitrary attacks, unlawful killings, injury and detention of the villagers in Tamur Jameel and make it clear that these acts are absolutely prohibited and perpetrators will be held to account.
• Immediately put in place measures to protect civilians in Tamur Jameel, Central Darfur state.
• Put in place tightened restrictions on the use and supply of arms and ammunitions, and a concerted effort to control arms and ammunition in the region should be launched, as well as controls over the use of ammunition and the presence of militias and weapons in public places.
• Ensure that any victims of sexual violence have access to appropriate medical and legal services.

ACJPS also calls on UNAMID to fulfil its mandate to contribute to the protection of civilian populations under imminent threat of physical violence, and prevent attacks against civilians within its capability and areas of deployment. UNAMID’s capacity has already been threatened by the significant drawdown in its military and police officers.

ACJPS calls on the international community, particularly the European Union, United States, UN and African Union, to support the Transitional Government of Sudan to meet its legal obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law.

Background

For years, civilians in the Darfur region have been the primary targets of killings, large-scale forced displacement, rape and other forms of sexual violence, destruction of villages and property, pillaging, abductions, acts of torture, indiscriminate aerial bombardments, arbitrary arrests and detention.

The transitional government has set as a key priority putting an end to insurgencies in the Darfur region and other conflict states and ensuring lasting peace. However, since the formation of the sovereign council, several instances of tribal clashes have taken place in different states in Sudan, including in Port Sudan where several people were wounded in August 2019 and recently in Geneina where at least 72 people were killed and 109 others wounded between 29 and 31 December 2019.

Contact:

Mossaad Mohamed Ali (English, Arabic, Swedish): +256 79584542, mossaad.ali@acjps.org