Sudan: Displacement and recent clashes in North Darfur, Apr 01 - Apr 17 2024 & Apr 14 - Apr 16 2024

DTM Sudan Focused Flash Alert North Darfur, Apr 01 2024 - Apr 17 2024:

DISPLACEMENT AND RECENT CLASHES IN NORTH DARFUR 

Since 01 April 2024, DTM Sudan monitored several clashes in multiple locations across Al Fasher locality in North Darfur state.

Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) renewed across Al Fasher Town of Al Fasher locality, Kebkabiya Town of Kebkabiya locality, and Kutum Town of Kutum locality on 01 April 2024, displacing an estimated 500 individuals (100  households).

In addition, DTM monitored attacks on Korma, Jonjona and Sarafaya villages linked to tribal conflict between 02 and 04 April 2024. The attacks led to the displacement of approximately 3,815 individuals (763 households) across various locations in Al Fasher locality.

Field teams observed additional clashes due to tribal conflict on 13 April 2024 in Birka, Sarafaya, Hillat Khamis, Jakho I, and Jartouna villages across Al Fasher locality, North Darfur. The clashes reportedly displaced approximately 34,350 individuals (6,870 households). Affected households were primarily displaced to other locations within Al Fasher locality. Field teams noted that an estimated 9,500 individuals (1,900 households) displaced from Jakho I village were originally displaced from Tawila locality in mid-June 2023 and therefore experienced secondary displacement due to the recent clashes.

Finally, field teams observed additional clashes between SAF and RSF in Al Fasher town from 14 April to 16 April 2024. The clashes reportedly displaced approximately 1,950 individuals (390 households) across Al Fasher locality. Households were displaced primarily from northern and eastern neighbourhoods of Al Fasher Town.

An estimated total of 40,615 individuals (approximately 8,123 households) were displaced in Al Fasher locality, North Darfur between 1 and 16 April 2024 due to the clashes described above, as noted in corresponding DTM Early Warning Flash alerts.

Map 1: Location of Reported Clashes and Resulting Displacement, 01 April -18 April 2024

BROADER CONTEXT 

While North Darfur remained an epicenter of clashes since the outbreak of conflict on 15 April 2023, field teams observed a sharp escalation of clashes and displacement beginning in January 2024. Since 01 January 2024, DTM released 17 Early Warning Flash Alerts focused on Al Fasher locality, representing over 60 per cent of the total flash alerts pertaining to Al Fasher locality since the eruption of conflict on 15 April 2023.

In January 2024, clashes were observed across Al Fasher, Kutum, and Melit localities. Field teams reported four incidents in Al Fasher and one in Um Kadadah in February 2024, and three incidents in Al Fasher and two incidents across Al Fasher, Kebkabiya, and Kutum localities during March 2024. Notably, the majority (69%) of DTM Early Warning Flash Alerts pertaining to conflict and displacement in North Darfur state focused on Al Fasher locality specifically.

DISPLACEMENT DATA IN NORTH DARFUR 

As of 17 April 2024, North Darfur state hosted an estimated 570,183 IDPs. over one third (approximately 36%, or 204,438 IDPs) were reportedly hosted in Al Fasher locality.

In addition, approximately 606,673 IDPs originated from North Darfur state, representing nine per cent of the total population of IDPs displaced in Sudan since 15 April 2023. Approximately 87 per cent of IDPs in North Darfur were displaced from locations within North Darfur. An estimated 235,147 IDPs originated from Al Fasher locality specifically.

Source:  DTM Sudan Focused Flash Alert: Conflict in North Darfur State  

23 April 2024 Update One

Map 2: Reported Displacement in North Darfur state, as of 17 April 2024

Full story: 

DTM Sudan Focused Flash Alert North Darfur, Apr 01 2024 - Apr 17 2024

https://dtm.iom.int/reports/dtm-sudan-focused-flash-alert-north-darfur

END

Sudan: Clashes as RSF, Border Guards tensions erupt (Part 15)

• Starting mid-August 2017, verbal clashes between Hilal and Sudan's Second Vice-President Hassabo Abdelrahman threatened to escalate tensions between Sudan's two paramilitary forces under the command of Hilal and Hemeti in North Darfur.
• Hilal also strongly opposed the planned integration of the Darfuri Border Guards into the RSF. “I was the one who established and presented the Border Guards initiative to the army in Darfur to defeat the rebellion,” the Mahameed clan chief told Radio Dabanga in August 2017.
• Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia chases Ali Rizgallah Safana forces to Kutum.
• All nine captured men have been transferred to El Fasher, and from there they will be transferred to Khartoum.
• RSF commander Hemeti told reporters that one of the caught fighters is a deputy of the Safana Border Guards.  Full story - published seven days before Musa Hilal's arrest by Hemeti's RSF:

Article from and by Radio Dabanga.org

Dated 10 November 2017 - KORMA / EL FASHER

Clashes as RSF, Border Guards tensions erupt

Members of the Border Guards militia meet in Mistariha in North Darfur on 12 August 2017 (RAC)

Large clashes took place between two of Sudan's paramilitary forces, the Rapid Support Forces and the Border Guards, near Korma today. Their leaders have not revealed the casualty number.

Eyewitnesses in Korma in North Darfur told Radio Dabanga that fighting broke out in Amar Jadeed, Eshbara, Kela and Niro. They heard explosions and gunfire coming from these areas from morning until after the Friday prayers ended.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) spokesman, Col. Abdelrahman El Jaali, confirmed the clash in Korma, which is 12 kilometres west of El Fasher. In a statement to the official Sudanese news agency (Suna) he said that they managed to arrest nine Border Guards members and seized their military equipment.

He said that a number of militiamen were killed when the RSF pursued them up to the outskirts of Kutum. The RSF still give chase to the Border Guards members who managed to flee. “We will work to clean up all Darfur states from the infiltrators, especially those in the cities.”

The Border Guards members in question serve under Lt. Col. Ali Rizgallah (nicknamed Safana), who recently declared a rebellion against Khartoum and defected from Sudan's chain of command. Rizgallah 'Safana' refuses to integrate his forces in the RSF, as part of a currently ongoing disarmament campaign in Darfur.

RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan 'Hemeti' told reporters today that one of the caught fighters is a deputy of the Safana Border Guards. All nine captured men have been transferred to El Fasher, and from there they will be transferred to Khartoum.

Attack in Kutum

On Friday afternoon Rizgallah and his forces came under attack by RSF in Eshbara, on the road between Kutum and Kabkabiya, south of Kutum. He briefly spoke to Radio Dabanga but did not answer questions about the number of casualties.

Meanwhile the spokesman of the Revolutionary Awakening Council, led by former janjaweed leader Musa Hilal, commented that the circumstances of the clash between the RSF and Safana's Border Guards are unknown. “We do not know the extent of the casualties because it occurred in a remote area,” said spokesman Mohamad Abekar.

Starting mid-August, verbal clashes between Hilal and Sudan's Second Vice-President Hassabo Abdelrahman have threatened to escalate tensions between Sudan's two paramilitary forces under the command of Hilal and Hemeti in North Darfur.

Hilal also strongly opposes the planned integration of the Darfuri Border Guards into the RSF. “I was the one who established and presented the Border Guards initiative to the army in Darfur to defeat the rebellion,” the Mahameed clan chief told Radio Dabanga in August.

Defectors

Last week, about 120 defectors from the Ali Rizgallah group of Border Guards which rebel against the government, announced that they will join the RSF. El Haj Ali Widaa led the group to El Fasher.

On paper the Border Guards are under nominal government command and used to be a government militia in Darfur. Its members are affiliated with founder and former janjaweed leader Musa Hilal, backed by Khartoum, until he distanced himself from the government in mid 2013. Hilal holds control of the gold-mining area Jebel Amer and Saraf Omra.

View original: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/clashes-as-rsf-border-guards-tensions-erupt

Security situation in Darfur - Sep 24, 2009

Daily Media Brief from UNAMID, El Fasher (DARFUR), Sudan, September 24, 2009/APO:

Security situation in Darfur

The security situation in Darfur is relatively calm, but unpredictable. UNAMID continues to monitor related developments.

In the last 24 hours, UNAMID military forces conducted 106 patrols including routine, short and long range, night, humanitarian escort, and logistics and administration patrols in villages and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. UNAMID police advisors conducted 158 patrols in the villages and IDP camps.

UNAMID continues to urge for an end to violence in Korma

The UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) continues to urge for an end to the clashes between the Government of Sudan and rebel movements in Korma, North Darfur.

UNAMID remains concerned about the impact of the clashes on civilians and of the consequences to the humanitarian situation in the area. Reports of the ensuing civilian casualties are deeply disturbing and UNAMID emphasizes that a peaceful solution to the conflict in Darfur can only be realized through negotiation and political means.

The responsibility of UNAMID to protect civilians under threat of attack and to ensure effective access for humanitarian assistance to those in need overarches any premise for this recent outburst of fighting in Darfur.