Deadly clashes have erupted between military forces and an armed group at the facilities of a former international peace-keeping mission in Sudan’s Darfur region.
Media reports said on Sunday that an unknown number of people were killed and injured Saturday around the perimeter of the headquarters of the former African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission UNAMID in El-Fasher, North Darfur.
Governor of North Darfur, Nimir Mohamed Abdel Rahman, said an armed group led by Mohamed Ibrahim Abu Jamba attacked the former UNAMID premise with the aim of looting property.
“The armed group led by Abu Jumba attacked former UNAMID headquarters with armed four-wheel-drive vehicles and two trucks to the aim of loading the looted equipment,” Nimir told reporters in El-Fasher city, on Saturday evening.
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He stated that the leader of the group, Abu Jumba, was accused of several crimes committed within the state.
Witnesses told Reuters they had heard heavy gunfire on Saturday around the perimeter of UNAMID in El-asher.
Sudan’s military leaders said on Wednesday that the groups that signed the peace deal would have to leave cities in Darfur.
Darfur has seen increased fighting and displacement since 2020.
Experts link the surge of violence to groups seeking power around a peace deal signed with some former rebels in 2020, in addition to UNAMID ceasing its operations in Darfur.
The United Nations – African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur ended its mission on Dec. 31, 2020. It was meant to be replaced by a national joint force that is yet to be deployed. The facilities have been repeatedly attacked and looted.
Following the surge of violence, the UN’s World Food Programme temporarily suspend its operations in the region as well.
The vast Darfur region was previously ravaged by a civil war that erupted in 2003, leaving around 300,000 people dead and millions more displaced, according to the United Nations.
Some 2.5 million people live in Darfur refugee camps.
