Account of Incidents in Darfur,
May 2002-Feb.2003
5/10/2002:
A group of armed persons attacked Katengeer, they killed three (Ommdas),
traditional tribal leader and one fur person.
1. Mohammed Hassab Alla (Shartai)
2. Adam Hassab Alla ( School Master, Katengeer primary school)
The people of the area called for volunteers for man hunt (Faza'a).
The volunteers for man hunt succeeded in getting hold of them
after a battle in which they killed seven, and captured 5. To their
astonishment, the attacker are government soldiers who were on
training, they are directed related to Mr. Salah Ali AlGali the Wali
(state governor) of South Darfur.
16/10/2002:
A group of armed persons made an ambush in the road from Jebel Marra
through GOLO, they aimed at car with an advocate, Council Inspector
and a driver:
The advocate Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Korsi, was killed
The Driver Mr. Faisal also killed
The District senior was injured Omer
After three days, a group of soldiers coming from Geldo, heading
towards Zalingei to collect their salaries were ambushed at the
same place, four were killed. The attackers are from Arab tribes.
(nomads camel herders)
Friday 18.10.2002
Armed personnel attacked a car on the highway between Nyala and Zalingei
and killed 3 persons. The government assigned General Adam Haroon,
who was an army officer in Juba, they assigned him as commander
for the army in Zalingei, He is saying that he will have 4000
soldiers their mission is to clean the "Jebel Marra" mountain
from the rebels. He said this in public in the mosque during
Friday prayers. He claims that the Fur are rebels and they are
fighting the government. The people are highly threatened.
Although all attackers were identified to be from Arab tribes connected
with the government. Ibrahim Suleiman who was assigned
as a head of Darfur Security Mechanism, protested about the behavior
of the general Adam Haroon, and he claimed that he was not consulted.
Adam Haroon was called to Khartoum, and he was seen two weeks
ago in Nartiti, he apologized for the people of Nartiti about
his speech in Zalingei.
Thursday 31.10.2002
A road tanker transporting gas oil from Khartoum to Gineina was
ambushed in Devis, between Zalingei and Gineina. The assistant
driver was killed, the tank was punctured and gas oil was lost.
On Saturday 2.11.2002
A civilian trucks owned by the military, was ambushed in a place
called Khor Tulba, they killed 5 persons and injured 8.
ON 3/11/2002
Armed persons attacked the villages of Koray, Cowery and Dial,
they robbed 815 cheeps and goats.
On Saturday 5/11/2002
A group of armed persons attacked commercial lorries near Gorlay,
one person was killed, twenty were injured, the travelers properties
were looted.
On 8.11.2002
Armed persons attacked villages around Kas and they killed Four
villagers, the villagers managed to defend themselves and killed 9
and injured 8 from the attackers. The attackers were identified
as Arab nomads ( Camel Herders)
On Saturday 9.11.2002
A group of armed persons ambushed "masha alla " bus from Nyala to
Nirtiti, at Devis. No one of the travelers was injured. The armed
persons crossed the highway to the west and on their way they looted
two villages and robbed sheep and goats.
They tried to loot another village on their way, but the villagers
were armed and ready to defend themselves. The villagers killed
7 of the armed persons. Among those killed a university student
and secondary schools student. The armed persons are from Arab
tribes. A woman; from the villagers; and her child were killed.
On Sunday 10.11.2002
A group of armed persons attacked the market in Gumaiza and looted
all the animals in the market ( cattles, camels, sheep, goats)..
Next day the security stopped all buses from traveling between
Nyala and Zalingei, due to security reasons.
On Wednesday 13.11.2002
Armed men (Arabs) attacked the villages of Shaowa, Ostri and
Al ba they killed 18 Fur and injured 5. As a result people in
these villages and surrounding villages started to immigrate to the
city of Kas.
On Saturday 16.11.2002
The security in Kas arrested eight persons from the peace mechanism.
The peace mechanism was formed by the "Security Mechanism of
Darfur", from tribal and community leaders. It is composed of
different tribes.
The eight persons are four from the Fur tribe and four from the
Arab tribes. Those from the Fur are:
* Abaker Shoaib
* Ali Mahmoud Eltayeb
* Hashim Abu el Basher(teacher) Director of Education - Kas
* Ismail Mohammed Shertai of Kalokitig
Those from the Arabs are:
* Mohamedein Tribal leader
* Mansour Teweir Tribal leader
* Unkown
* Unkown
On 21.11.2002
Armed persons attacked the village of Sabbanga at night, they
killed 8 persons (4 persons of one family). They burned all the
village houses. Many were injured and transferred to El fashir
North Darfur.
Same day the village of Hara gamia' was attacked, two houses
were burned; the villagers were able to put the attackers back.
This village is in the area of Komgi, were the graveyards of the
Fur old Sultans.
On 23.11.2002
A group of armed persons attacked the village of Atobi, they
killed 2 and injured one, they looted all the villages' properties
even the beds.
On 26.11.2002
A battle between the government soldiers and the Zagawa. The
problem is that Zagawa moving with their animals through the
Fur farms, destroying these farms. The government soldiers tried to
prevent them, they went on a real battle, 2 soldiers were killed, many
injured. Among those injured is an officer. The injured persons
are in Zalingei hospital. One of the Nomads was arrested.
On same day 200 sheep, 60 cows were looted from Kas.
On the same day, a group of armed persons attacked the village of
Teraig, Zalingei area, they forced the villagers to break their fast
(Ramadan), telling them that the Quran is not written in the Fur
language, and that the Fur are not supposed to be Muslims and fasting.
On Monday 2.12.2002
Armed persons attacked the 3 villages of Dawra, Maily and Illa,
in the locality of Kas. They killed two persons in Dawra, Two
in Maily and one in Illa.
On 5.12.2002
Khor Ramla
The nomads let their animals in the farms, they grazed in 50
cultivated feddans. The state governor was there and he instructed
the army to respond. They went in a battle, 2 soldiers were killed,
four from the nomads were also killed.
On 9.12.2002
Three security soldiers were kidnapped in Jebel Merra, Mirghani,
Suleiman Burhan and a third unknown name. The kidnapers are unknown.
The security brought a battalion named " The Green Battalion",
it is brought to free the kidnapped persons and clean the Jebel
from the rebels as the security claimed. They embarked in Nartiti
and they instructed the Traditional leaders "Adara Ahlia" to
climb the Jebel and free these persons. The Adara Ahlia persons formed
a committee from the community leaders to go and negotiate with
kidnappers.
On 17.12.2002
On Tuesday 17.12.2002, 19 armed persons attacked the village
of Morollo, they set the houses in fire. In the village there
was an army garrison, 9 of the soldiers were killed and the attackers
captured two howons "heavy artillery" and 5 G3 machine guns. The
attackers controlled the village completely and popped in the
villagers into the detention cells already existing in the village.
On 23.12.2002
One Fur was killed in the outskirts of Zalingei, 4 were killed
in Aboor. Six villages residents abandoned their homes and went
into Zalingei, for security reasons. Namely: Tobei, Dambass, Kabkalla,
Saowli, Teenpico, and Aara.
On 26.12.2002
Armed persons attacked a lorry and looted it between Golo and
Gildo.
On 31.12.2002
An alarm came to both government and the residents of Singda
" a village near Kas', that armed persons will attack the village
next day "Wednesday 1.1.2003". The government took no measures
to prevent this. On Wednesday armed persons attacked the village and
set the houses in fire. 25 persons were killed, out those killed 10
were shot and thrown into the fire and 3 died later in Kas hospital.
Also they were 8 injuries, now in Kas hospital. The attackers
also set fire in a neighboring village. The government soldiers
were very slow in their response and they were very reluctant
to follow the attackers.
Residents of the village were displaced to Kas and being accommodated
in "Al Humeira" school Building.
On Thursday 2.1.2003
Attacks against the village of Sirinbaga, details to come
On January 2003-01-22
Koga:
Koga is a village near Zalingei, on Tuesday 14.1.2003, a group
of armed men, in the uniform of soldiers appeared in the village,
they have strange shape, (they look like Chadians), They bombarded
the village market with one shell, which resulted in the injury
of three persons, (one has his leg imputed in the hospital of
Zalingei). The people were frightened and dispersed.
* The government called Ahmed Khamis to head its security operations
in Darfur.
* The government surrounded the mountain of Jebel Marra with
army from all sides. One battalion tried to reach the top of
the mountain through a non-accessible road but they failed and
returned to Nartiti (people are living on the top of the mountain).
Three helicopters were brought to the mountain and the government
is saying that they are going to bombard the top of the mountain.
The civilian population are grieved with fear.
* The security forces after the return of battalion started a series
of detentions in Nartati, the number till Tuesday 21.1.2003 is five:
* Abdelgadir Eisa Abdelgadir
* Adam Dolo
* Tigani Saif eldin (Fur tribal leader-Omda)
* Adam Abdelrasoul
* Doko Grinti (Omda)
22. 1.2002
The government soldiers climbed the mountain and forced a curfew
from 7.00PM to 7.00 AM. The soldiers are harassing the civil
population asking them about the places of the armed Fur in the
jebel.
They are camps for armed nomad tribesmen. One 20Km North east
Zalingeiin Kargeleng, and the other near Nartiti. There are talks
that these tribesmen are being trained on the use of heavy Artilary.
People are speculating that these men are going to clean the
mountain from the Fur after the army operations.
Markets in Kutrum and Nartiti were closed, this is affecting
the life conditions of the people.
Minister of Interior visited Zalingei for only half an hour
On Saturday 25.1.2003
Unknown armed men attacked 'Roky Roo' north east Jebbel Merra,
they killed three persons, one of the dead is shartai Yousif.
The attackers confiscated 20 guns from the police garrison and
took money from the locality treasure. The attackers withdrew taking
with them one non-commissioned officer from the police, the locality
executive director and others.
It is worth mentioning that the government army is surrounding
the mountain in 70 miles.
On Wednesday 29.1.2003
Armed persons attacked a lorry in the road between Nyala-Kas
they robbed all possessions of the travelers, no causalities.
On Thursday 30.1.2003
Again armed persons attacked a lorry in the road between Nyala-Kas
they robbed all possessions of the travelers, no causalities.
On Friday 31.1.2003
Armed persons robbed some goats from Hilla Beada,( 20 kilometers
from Zalingei). The villagers followed the robbers to return
their goats. The robbers shot at the villagers injuring one person;
he is currently under medication at Zalingei hospital.
The number of those detained in Nartiti has increased to 10, still
not charged and their families were denied the right to meet
them. No lawyers were allowed to see them.
* Abdelgadir Eisa Abdelgadir 35yrs
* Adam Dolo abdelrahaman Abdelshafie 50yrs
* Tigani Saif eldin (Fur tribal leader-Omda) 55yrs
* Adam Abdelrasoul 45yrs
* Doko Grinti (Omda) 80yrs
* Shogar toor Shogar 27yrs
* Abdelnasir Ismail 33yrs
* Tagir Abdelkarim 57yrs
* Suleiman Mohammed Suleiman 42yrs
* Mohammed abdelgabar
The whereabouts of the detainees are unknown, some information
say that they are kept in Nartiti, but other information say
that they were transferred to Zalingei.
On Monday 9.2.2003
Armed men attacked a Fur person who was comming back to his village
from Kas market. The man and his horse were killed. The horse
is said to be of a good race and was killed so as not make future
descendents from that race.
All the ten detainees of the Fur tribe who were detained in Nartiti
were transfered to Geneina; Geneina is the Capital of West Darfur
State. No one has been given access to see them since their arrest.
On Sunday 16.2.2003
The highway between Nyala Zalingei {three kilometers from
Nartiti, on a bridge} was blocked with stones, commercial buses
arrived at the blocked points, they moved the stones and passed.
Again the road was blocked by the stones. Ahmed Musa, a Berti, Manager
of the Jebel Marra Development, project was driving his car when he
reached the blocked point, armed men opened fire on his cars, he, his
daughter and son were killed, the driver, his wife and others are
seriously injured. Ahmed Musa is an active person who was seriously
working to rehabilitate agricultural schemes in the area.
On the same day an RBG shell was fired from army garrison in
Toor, the shell killed one Fur man. Army troops and
equipment are in continuous build up around the mountain.
On Thursday 20.2.2003
Villagers from Njama went to the market in Toor. On their way
back they were ambushed by armed persons, two persons were killed
one of them is the 'Sheikh' of Njama village. One injured who is
now in the hospital at Kas.
On Monday 24.2.2003
A lorry was attacked by armed men at Khor Kilash, two men were
killed (an Arab and a Fur), Four were injured and transferred
to Zalingei hospital and 3 men are missing.
The security arrested the Imam of Nartiti mosque. After putting
him in detention the Imam, told the security that is innocent
and god is going to punish them to this deed. The security persons
who arrested him, had a car accident same day and two of them were
killed.
Monday Tuesday 24/25/2/2003
The government of Sudan organized a meeting for influential persons
and leaders of Darfur, including the MPs. The meeting was held
in El Fashir the capital city of North Darfur. The GoS aim was to
mobilize the people against the armed elements in the Mountain. Those
who attended the meeting refused to condemn the armed elements and
proposed a peace initiative between the government and the armed
groups. A committee of 45 persons was selected as mediators.
On Wednesday 26.2.2003
An armed theft occurred in Sarf Omra North Zalingei, details
to come.
On Thursday 27.2.2003
* Armed persons (estimated to be 3000 not yet confirmed), attacked
the village of Artalla ( West Darfur- 300 Km East Zalingei).
Initial reports say that 6 villagers (all Fur) and 35 from the
attackers were killed. 70 of the attackers were injured and hospitalized
in Nyala.
* The army attacked Golo through Rokoro, they had fought around
Golo with armed persons. 15 soldiers were killed, 40 injured.
* Armed persons robed Cattle from Mornei Villages. The villagers
went after the robbers to retrieve their cattle. the armed persons
opened fire on them killing 40. The Mornei village is inhibited by
Masaleet ethnic group.
Saturday 1.3.2003
An army officer named Mudhathir (Fur), refused to obey the orders he received
to marsh with his soldiers to the Mountain, he and 30 of his soldiers were
detained in El Fashir. Tuesday 4.3.03 4 Fur were killed while resting on
their way to their village (Kutrung) on the road between Nartiti and Geldo
Tuesday 4.3.03 Armed men robbed 212 cattles and killed a one woman and one
man, in the village of Mosay, in Garsilla.
Wednesday 5.3.03
The situation in Artalla has developed so much, armed men attacked the villages
of Artalla, Kabar and Mukgar, the people in these villages were ready, they
exchanged fire with the attackers, the attackers succeeded to burn six houses
which belong to Fur men, but they totally burned a Tama village (Tama is
an ethnic group). The people of Artalla has driven the attackers up to the
Chadian boarders. Other group of the attackers tried to burn the village
of Kabar, the villagers were ready and fought with attackers, the villagers
driven the attacker up to Rihaed Al Birdi.
Thursday 6.3.03
All the goats of Koga were robbed