Janjawid militia raids villages in vehicles for the first time

As the UN evacuates staff from the main Darfur town of El Fasher today because of the growing threat from armed groups, Amnesty International has learnt of new attacks in the region carried out by the Janjawid militia. In a new development, the attackers were mostly in vehicles rather than on horseback in one of the raids.

Reports of these fresh attacks arrive just days before thousands of people around the world unite to call for better protection for the people in the region in a Global Day for Darfur. (Sunday 10 December)

On Monday 4 December at approximately 7 o’clock local time, five people were killed when an attack was carried out eastwards from Um Sayaala towards Shek Gubah: Abdullah Moh Ahmed Sumoh, Ibrahim Moh Ahmed Sumoh, Ismail Idriss, one unnamed woman and her baby. Seven people were injured, one seriously. The attackers went on to Hashaba Junub and the village of Um Sheiraina where they burned a grain mill or tahuna. They continued on to Hashabab Wasit and finally based themselves in Um Sidir.

The Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) has no presence nearby and did not engage in the attacks. The attackers were almost all in vehicles, a new development also seen in recent attacks on Helif.

Attacks by Janjawid militia linked to the Ma'ariya ethnic group have been occurring over the last month (from early November to 5 December) in South Darfur in the area south east of Muhajaria, progressing steadily from the Mutawrat area towards Muhajaria. The SLA Free Will movement under the leadership of Adam Saleh has also been implicated in these attacks.

In the area of Kalajoh fifteen people were killed after that area was attacked: 10 Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights and three Children's rights were trapped in a burning house and two men who also killed in that raid. Humanitarian aid and foodstocks were also burnt during that raid which took place between 1 - 3 December.

In total at least 41 people have been killed in the villages of Mutawrat, An Gaboh, Um Deh, Hillat Tarablus, Hillat Tahlbah, Abu Hadid, Beh Hashi, Am Gedem, Lassus, An Gedeam, Kibeh, Kunbaleh, Shergeneh and Kalajoh. The actual death toll is likely to be much higher. In each attack the Janjawid burned the villages.

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