Nyala / Bielel — More than 35 villages burned to ashes, and dozens of civilians were killed in attacks by troops of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the area of Hijer Tunjo, southeast of Nyala, South Darfur, on Thursday and Friday.



Thousands of villagers found refuge in camps near Nyala, thousands of others are still trapped in the desert.

A sheikh who fled Hijer Tunjo told Radio Dabanga, that he, together with about 5,000 "extremely exhausted" villagers, had arrived in Kalma camp for the displaced in Nyala locality on Friday.

"At least 4,000 "Hemeti militiamen" (RSF) in Land Cruisers approached the area of Hijer at about 1.30pm on Thursday. They started to shoot, killing about 31 villagers instantly, and wounding 23 others, as far as I could count them. The real death toll is unknown, because all the people fled, leaving Hijer Tunjo village completely deserted. So far 53 names are known of the people killed in Hijer on Thursday."

"Those militiamen looted the houses and set fire to them. They seized more than 20 women and girls, and raped them. The women and girls are still missing. Also there are thousands of villagers still trapped and hunted down in the desert, after they had been robbed of all their belongings, and fled. Large numbers of people sought refuge in El Salam camp in Beilel locality. Others fled to Kalma camp in Nyala locality."

"After those Rapid Support Janjaweed burned down 35 villages in the area of Hijer Tunjo on Thursday, they continued on Friday, and set fire to the villages of Um Gounja, Tani Deleiba, Tukumari, Himeida, Barka Tuli, Afouna, and other villages."

Tora Bora

As for the reasons for the attacks, the burning of the villages, and the raping of women, the sheikh pointed to what the militiamen shouted at them when they arrived at Hijer Tunjo. "They called us Tora Bora, which means that we are supporting and sheltering the rebels." He stressed that the people of Hijer, and the villages in the neighbourhood have nothing to do with the armed movements. "There are no rebels stationed in our area."

The village sheikh urged the international community to "immediately intervene and save civilians from genocide, theft of their property, the burning of villages, and forcible displacement from their villages".