Gereida, May 08 (Darfur24)
Several people were killed and others injured after armed clashes erupted Thursday in the town of Gereida, south of Nyala in South Darfur State, following the killing of a Rapid Support Forces (RSF) member in a separate incident a day earlier, according to local sources and eyewitnesses.
A local official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Darfur24 that a wanted fugitive had fled from the town of Tulus to Gereida, prompting local authorities to file a report seeking his arrest by the RSF.
The official said the suspect was cornered Wednesday inside the Abuja market, one of the town’s main commercial centers. During the attempted arrest, the man reportedly brandished his weapon at the force escorting him.
“One of the accompanying force members opened fire accidentally, hitting an RSF member from Tulus, who died immediately, while the suspect managed to escape,” the official said.
According to the source, local leaders and the families involved initially met and agreed on the payment of blood compensation to prevent escalation. However, relatives of the slain RSF member later mobilized armed fighters and launched an attack on the town Thursday, sparking violent clashes with residents.
The fighting resulted in deaths and injuries on both sides and led to the burning of several homes.
Another eyewitness told Darfur24 that Khader Abdullah Abdulrahman Kartout, a trader, was among those killed, while at least seven others were injured. He added that nine houses in Al-Rahman neighborhood north of the town were set ablaze during the violence.
Local administrations from both Tulus and Gereida later intervened to contain the fighting, dispersing armed gatherings and launching dialogue efforts aimed at settling on the two sides.
Gereida has witnessed repeated outbreaks of tribal violence in recent years. In 2020, the town experienced weeks of deadly conflict linked to land disputes, revenge killings, and livestock theft, leaving hundreds dead and wounded despite multiple peace agreements signed afterward.