Al-Tina, January 06 (Darfur24)
Residents of Abu Qumra, a town in Karnoi locality, North Darfur, have begun fleeing to neighboring Chad following a drone strike that hit the town’s market over the weekend, killing and injuring civilians and destroying shops, local sources said on Monday.
Abu Qumra was struck by a drone on Saturday, days after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of the town last December following the withdrawal of the joint force toward the border town of Al-Tina.
A local administration leader told Darfur24 that a drone, believed to belong to the Sudanese army, carried out an intense aerial bombardment on the town’s market, causing casualties, extensive property damage, and the burning of all market stalls.
He said that following the attack, some residents fled across the border into Chad, while Rapid Support Forces were deployed around the town.
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses and local sources reported that the border town of Al-Tina has become nearly deserted, as residents and displaced people left for refugee camps inside Chad amid reports that the RSF intends to launch an attack on the town.
A source close to the Rapid Support Forces told Darfur24 that RSF units stationed in Ayraqt, south of Kalbus, and in the Marwa Mountains are preparing to advance toward Al-Tina. The source said the forces are awaiting the arrival of air defense systems to counter drone strikes that recently targeted Kalbus and areas near Al-Tina.
In contrast, a military source in the Sudanese army told Darfur24 that army forces in Jarjira, south of Al-Tina, expect an RSF attack later this week, possibly from both the Abu Qumra and Ad Al-Khair directions in Karnoi locality.
The source added that residents have fled toward Chad, traders have shut down their businesses, and both the market and police station have been closed for several days. He noted that the town’s hospital has been out of service for more than two months, while the security committee has declared a state of emergency.