Al Daein, Zalingi, November 29 (Darfur24)
At least four farmers were killed in separate attacks by armed herders in both Central and East Darfur over the past week, as violence between farmers and pastoralists intensifies during the harvest season.
In Mukjar, 160 kilometers southwest of Zalingei in Central Darfur, two farmers were shot dead on Thursday after gunmen drove their livestock onto farmlands near Wadi Sandu. A local community leader, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told Darfur24 that the armed herders initially assaulted the farmers with whips before shooting and killing Jamal Omar and Adam, known locally as Wad al-Bani.
He said the perpetrators moved their livestock away from the scene to conceal evidence before fleeing westward, adding that no arrests had been made. According to the source, the Mukjar area has seen a sharp rise in attacks this agricultural season, with more than 10 cases of killings and injuries and the destruction of over 30 farms inside and outside the town.
Meanwhile, in East Darfur, two farmers were killed in separate incidents in the Al-Manjar and Al-Fadho areas east and north of El Daein.
A farmer from Al-Manjar told Darfur24 that the victim was shot dead with a Kalashnikov rifle after asking a herder to remove his livestock from his farm. “He tried to drive the animals out himself, and the herder opened fire immediately,” he said.
In another incident last week in Al-Fadho, a herder stabbed a farmer three times following a dispute over livestock entering cultivated land. The farmer died on the spot. The Rapid Support Forces later arrested the suspect.
Residents say violence in the northern and northwestern regions of East Darfur peaks annually during the harvest season, when herders release their animals early onto croplands. The clashes routinely result in dozens of deaths each year.
Last November, local authorities in East Darfur held a coexistence forum in Sha’iriya locality, approving tougher deterrent measures, including one-year prison terms and fines of 15 billion Sudanese pounds, in an attempt to curb the recurring violence.
However, community leaders warn that without enforcement and rapid response mechanisms, attacks are likely to continue as both regions enter the peak of the harvest season.