El-Obeid, January 07 (Darfur24)
An armed group believed to be affiliated with the joint forces stormed court buildings in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, on Tuesday afternoon and fired live ammunition inside the premises, in what sources described as a serious and unprecedented incident that triggered panic among judges, staff, and litigants.
Sources inside the El Obeid courts told Darfur24 that the force arrived in two heavily armed military vehicles in broad daylight, carrying heavy weapons, including a DShK (“Dushka”) machine gun, in addition to light arms. The armed men reportedly stormed the court buildings and began firing shots into the air and within the court compound.
According to the sources, the armed group demanded the immediate release of one of its members who had been brought before the court as part of legal proceedings over charges linked to a criminal case. The raid led to the suspension of court sessions, as many citizens and litigants fled the premises amid chaos and fear.
Eyewitnesses said the gunfire continued for several minutes, noting that no immediate intervention by other security forces was seen to secure the court or contain the situation at the time of the incident.