36 killed, 32 injured in tribal clashes in Sudan’s South Darfur

DARFUR, Sudan

At least 36 people were killed and 32 others injured in fresh tribal clashes in Sudan’s South Darfur State, local authorities announced on Monday.

"A tribal clash broke out between tribal components at Mandawa, Marmasa and Majangary areas in South Darfur State,” Musa Mahdi, South Darfur State’s Governor, said in a statement.

He added that the fighting broke out on Saturday and continued until Sunday morning.

He further stressed that the joint forces, sent by the state, have controlled the situation at the dispute areas and separated between the warring tribes.

According to local media, the clashes broke out between Falata and Al-Taisha tribes.

South Darfur State’s security committee decided to send military reinforcements to the area to pursue the perpetrators, prevent recurrence of the incident, and to establish legal investigation committees.

In April, around 137 people were killed and 221 injured in tribal clashes in El Geneina, the capital city of Sudan’s West Darfur State.

Sudan’s Darfur region has been mired in a civil war since 2003. On December 31, 2020, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution that ends the mandate of the United Nations-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) in the region.

Around 16,000 UNAMID soldiers deployed in Darfur since 2007 are set to complete their mission in July.

A UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) is set to be deployed during 2021 with part of its powers to complete the administrative tasks of UNAMID in the region.