Al-Daein, February 04 (Darfur24)
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) deployed military reinforcements on Monday evening to the town of Khazan Jadid in Sha’iriya locality, East Darfur State, following deadly armed clashes between two RSF-affiliated groups over the past two days, according to security and local sources.
The reinforcements, drawn from the RSF’s Civil Protection Forces, were sent ahead of the expected arrival of a civilian delegation seeking to contain the repercussions of the violence.
Security sources told Darfur24 that the clashes erupted after the arrest of wanted individuals linked to both factions, escalating into armed confrontations inside the town.
The sources said the fighting resulted in the killing of one of the leaders of the town, Muhammad Jaafar Karam al-Din, and his son, Muhammad Jaafar, who served as the youth and sports official in East Darfur’s civil administration. Two women were also killed inside Jaafar’s house, in addition to seven of his guards.
According to the sources, RSF Civil Protection units led by Major Issa Adam Ghobashi arrived in Khazan Jadid on Monday and managed to separate the rival groups. They also assisted in burying the victims and securing the area while awaiting the civilian delegation expected on Tuesday.
A local official, speaking on condition of anonymity, warned Darfur24 of the serious repercussions of the violence on displaced communities in the area, which hosts around 80,000 internally displaced people. Most of them fled El Fasher and the Zamzam, Abu Shouk, and Tawila camps in North Darfur amid ongoing fighting between the army and the RSF.
The official said the Khazan Jadid area is witnessing deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions, with repeated incidents compounding residents’ suffering amid a near-total absence of humanitarian organizations and basic services.
Meanwhile, Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) teams reported that on February 2, about 350 people were displaced from Khazan Jadid due to a community conflict between the Barqit and Fur tribes. The displaced families were relocated to various sites within the Sha’iriya locality, while tension and instability continue to prevail.