SAF accused of seeking to drag Darfur into Ethnic Conflict

Within the boundaries of North Darfur state, large areas seem to be plagued -these days- with an atmosphere of social injustice as a result of the heinous violations committed by the Armed Movements allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which included killing civilians and burning villages on a tribal basis, amidst valid concerns about an imminent outbreak of ethnic conflict in the region.

The Advisor to the Commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Al-Basha Tibeaq, accused the Armed Movements allied with the Sudanese Army, and led by (Minni Arcua Minnawi) and (Gibril Ibrahim) of committing an “Ethnic cleansing crime” against civilians in (Al-Zurruq), where three elderly shepherds were killed last Friday.

Al-Basha Tibeaq added that the Armed Movements even killed the camels belonging to the shepherds in a “horrific and chilling” scene, according to him.

He shared that “This attack comes as part of a plot led by the Islamic Movement that controls the reins of the Sudanese Army, Security Services and Military Intelligence, aiming to ignite an all-out civil war in Darfur.”

He indicated that this particular scheme could lead to “The spread of sedition” to encompass the rest of the regions in Sudan, especially the northern states.

On the other hand, the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement in North Darfur, Mohammed Adam Kesh, admitted that the forces that entered (Al-Zurruq) kidnapped citizens, but he claimed that they were “in safe hands.”

Meanwhile, local sources from North Darfur confirmed to (Erem News) that the Armed Movements allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are still targeting civilians in different areas, which the sources described as ethnic cleansing against some of the Arab components in the villages and deserts they inhabit in North Darfur.

The sources indicated that the attacks launched by (Abdullah Banda), one of the individuals wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes he committed in Darfur during the era of former President Omar Al-Bashir, resulted in the death of more than (39) civilians, most of whom were women and children.

Property was looted as well, hundreds of camels and livestock were slaughtered, the market and the only hospital in the area were burned to the ground, in addition, water sources were destroyed, according to the sources.

They confirmed that the situation in North Darfur has recently become extremely tense, as the region writhed under the threat of imminent explosion at any given moment due to the repercussions of SAF’s allies’ injustice practices, engraved in the souls of the Arab tribes’ residents. Amidst incessant threats of continuing to burn villages and kill civilians if the Rapid Support Forces refuse to leave El-Fasher.

Circulating video clips on social media showed one of the fighters affiliated with the Armed Movements threatening to kill civilians in all the villages of the Arab tribes, including children.

Other clips were widely circulated documenting combat vehicles belonging to the Joint Force, amidst threats to continue attacking the cities and valleys of nomadic Arabs.

Meanwhile, media sources reported that the Commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, stopped the execution of an attack his forces were scheduled to launch on a number of areas from which the leaders of the Armed Movements hail, and where the Sudanese Army still maintains a presence, such as the city of (Al-Tina) in North Darfur.

The (Darfur 24) news website quoted a leader in the Rapid Support Forces as saying that the attack was also targeting the area of (Karnoi), the birthplace of Minni Arcua Minnawi, leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement. Additionally, it was intended as a response to the attack launched by the Joint Force affiliated with the Armed Movements on (Al-Zurruq).

The leader in the Rapid Support Forces added that his forces had previously sent massive military reinforcements exceeding (1,000) combat vehicles, in addition to mobilized fighters from Arab tribes, with the aim of attacking the areas where the Armed Movements’ leadership gathered.

However, (Hemedti) prevented the execution of this attack, and ordered his forces to focus their attention on the areas where the Joint Force gathered. The Joint Force generally consists of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Armed Movements.

He explained that the attack on (Al-Zurruq) was an attempt by some forces to turn the conflict in North Darfur into an issue of tribal war, reiterating that the Rapid Support Forces are aware of this particular plot, orchestrated by the Port Sudan government.

He also indicated that some parties had warned the Rapid Support Forces against engaging with this plot, which aims to ignite an all-out tribal war in Darfur.