The conflict in the region has become chronic

Renewed violence in Darfur exacerbates Sudan's crises

• The United Nations is trying to help the Darfur region to no avail.

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• Clashes in Darfur always result in a new wave of displacement.

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Dozens died after their villages were burned in ethnic violence in West Darfur state in Sudan, which exacerbated the crisis that has afflicted the region for years, and the violence comes at a time when Sudan’s leaders are working to overcome their current crisis, which is likely to distract their attention from Darfur's escalating problems.

Sudan's democratic transition faltered, as thousands of protesters poured into the streets on Thursday to denounce the army's deal with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. After about a month of house arrest, Hamdok signed a new power-sharing agreement with the army, in an attempt to end the bloody confrontation and restore the democratic process. In Darfur, at least 43 people were killed and 46 villages burned and looted, after conflict broke out last week in the Jebel Moon region between Arab herders and farmers from the Misseriya tribe, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The local branch of the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said that at least 17 people were injured and receiving treatment in local hospitals, although activists and aid organizations said the true number was likely higher. Known persons fled across the border into Chad.

Many people, including children, remained missing, and some displaced people fled to the nearby mountains and caves.

“This is a serious tragedy,” said Adam Mohamed Adam, a spokesman for the Sudanese Coordination Committee for Refugees and Displaced Persons, in a phone interview, adding, “These are people who desperately need help, and the world must save them.” As of Friday, the security situation in the region remained volatile. Humanitarian organizations struggle to obtain guarantees of safety to travel to conflict areas and provide assistance.

The impasse remained

The director of the Norwegian Refugee Council, William Carter, said the impasse remained despite "vigorous communication with all parties", and explained that a joint mission of emergency responders hoped to visit the area by early next week.

Experts say that the bloody turmoil in Darfur had already begun to escalate before a hybrid United Nations and African Union mission completed its withdrawal from the region, this year, and under the rule of former President Omar al-Bashir, the region suffered a campaign of violations, killings and ethnic cleansing, during which at least 300,000 people, and another 2.7 million displaced, according to the United Nations.

Violence continued despite al-Bashir's removal from power, and in January at least 250 people, including three humanitarian workers, were killed in sectarian clashes, West Darfur, which began after armed militias attacked and besieged an internal camp for the displaced. Among farmers and herders are part of a seasonal trend around nomadic movements and harvesting, but aid workers say the recent attacks have been far more brutal.

"The outbreak of ethnic violence in Darfur is destroying communities and destroying entire settlements on the ground," Carter said, explaining: "Without a unified, civilian-led security sector, it is difficult to see how this deterioration can be halted and reversed."

Thousands took to the streets of the capital, Khartoum, and other major cities, last week, to protest the deal between Hamdok and the army chief, Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and demanded "justice for the martyrs" who were killed in the protests.

criticism

Hamdok was criticized by protesters and civilian members of his former government for signing the agreement, arguing that it was simply providing a cover for the continuation of military rule. The demonstrators also criticized the failure to protect the lives and property of people in West Darfur.

"Darfur is bleeding, what peace are you talking about?"

Some of them chanted, while others carried banners reading, “The whole country is Darfur” and “Sudanese blood is one.” Hatem Abdullah Al-Fadil, a civil society activist in El-Geneina region in West Darfur, who monitors the situation, said that the communications cut that was imposed during the protests against taking over The military authority has complicated efforts to send or receive information from the area. Al-Fadhel said that the warring parties are gathering in the area, and that smoke was detected yesterday around the village of East Jebel Moon. He said in a phone interview: “We expect more problems due to the instability in the area. the region, and the situation there is fragile.”

• The outbreak of ethnic violence in Darfur is ravaging communities and destroying entire settlements on the ground, and without a unified, civilian-led security sector it is difficult to see how this deterioration can be halted and reversed.

• 300,000 people have been killed in the Darfur region since the start of the conflict.

• 2.7 million people have been displaced by conflict, according to the United Nations.

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