Zalingei, January 03 (Darfur24)
A woman and her child were among six people killed on Thursday when unidentified gunmen attacked a Rapid Support Forces convoy near Zalingei while it was transporting a murder suspect, local sources said.
The convoy was transporting a suspect accused of murder from Fasi town, about 80 kilometers north of Zalingei, to the city’s main prison when it was intercepted near the Al-Murain market at the entrance to Zalingei, the sources said.
An informed source told Darfur24 that an RSF security force had been assigned to escort the suspect, but the force was replaced before reaching the city. Upon arriving at the Al-Murain market, unknown gunmen opened fire on the convoy, triggering a fierce clash. A woman and her child were killed on the spot, while a rickshaw driver was wounded and taken to the hospital.
The source added that four RSF soldiers were killed during the confrontation, and two others were abducted. The attackers reportedly managed to free the suspect and flee the scene with him.
Another source, who requested anonymity, said the freed suspect was implicated in several murder cases in Fasi. He noted that local mediation efforts led by traditional leader Sultan Hussein Ayub Ali Dinar had attempted to resolve the dispute, but these efforts ultimately failed.
According to the source, the suspect’s family had refused to allow his transfer to Zalingei for trial following the collapse of local reconciliation attempts.
“The incident resulted in two civilian deaths and one injury,” the source said, adding that Al-Murain market was closed on Friday due to the security situation, amid widespread fear and panic among residents living near the area.