The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, on Monday, said tribal clashes over the past week in Sudan’s Darfur region have killed around 100 people, reported The Al Jazeera.
According to Toby Harward, a coordinator with the UNHCR, clashes erupted out of a land dispute between Arab and African tribes in the town of Kulbus in West Darfur province. He added that local Arab militias then attacked multiple villages in the area, forcing thousands to flee across neighboring localities.
Abkar al-Toum, a tribal leader in the Kulbus town, said at least 62 bodies were found burned after militias set more than 20 villages on fire. He said many people are still missing. He claimed the attackers gained control of water resources, aggravating the humanitarian situation in the area. He did not elaborate.
The UNHCR official stressed the need for neutral joint forces to provide protection for civilians in the area.
In a series of posts on Twitter, Harward said if there is no intervention or mediation, & violence is allowed to continue, farmers will not be able to cultivate & the agricultural season will fail and that will be disastrous.
Tribal violence and surges in fighting in Darfur have killed hundreds of people since late last year. In April, after a similar round of clashes killed at least 168, the Sudanese military said it had deployed a brigade to the province.
Such attacks come as the country remains engulfed in a wider political crisis following an October military coup. The coup upended Sudan’s transition to democracy after a popular uprising forced the removal of longtime President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.
On Monday, UN special representative Volker Perthes said he was appalled by the violence in Kulbus.
“The cycle of violence in Darfur is unacceptable & highlights root causes that must be addressed,” he said on Twitter.
