Nyala, May 31 (Darfur24)
At least 16 people have been killed and dozens displaced after renewed fighting between the Salamat and Bani Halba tribes in South Darfur entered its second day, despite mediation efforts by traditional leaders and intervention by Rapid Support Forces personnel to contain the violence.
The clashes mark a resurgence of tensions between the two communities, whose previous conflict in 2023 left hundreds dead and wounded before a peace agreement was signed last December.
Al-Maqdum Adel Ibrahim Seneen, a leader of the Native Administration in South Darfur, told Darfur24 that the death toll had risen to 16, with several others injured since the violence erupted last week.
He said the latest unrest began on May 23 when an armed group set fire to grazing land near the town of Kabm. Tensions deepened after a shepherd was killed in the Jurf area by gunmen suspected of belonging to one of the rival groups.
According to Seneen, the situation worsened on Saturday when armed men attacked people watering livestock at a local water source, leaving three people dead and three others injured on both sides.
“We tried to contain the situation by forming a committee to hand over the bodies in the Artala area, but the committee came under attack and was forced to withdraw,” he said. “The handover process collapsed, and fighting resumed later in the day, resulting in the deaths of 12 more people and injuries to others.”
Another tribal leader, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said both sides had mobilized dozens of heavily armed vehicles around Kabm. He added that an armed group attacked the nearby town of Damba on Sunday, forcing residents to flee toward Ad-Daein, about 86 kilometres west of Nyala.
The source said at least 12 people had already been killed before clashes intensified again on Sunday. He added that a force affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces, working alongside Native Administration leaders from both communities, managed to halt the fighting after several hours, although a final casualty count has yet to be confirmed.
Volunteers assisting displaced families reported that residents fled from Kabm, Markandi, Al-Shuwaib, Damba, and surrounding areas as violence spread.
One volunteer told Darfur24 that most of the displaced are women, children, and elderly people facing harsh humanitarian conditions amid extreme heat.
The volunteer called for urgent intervention to end the fighting and restore security in the affected areas.
The Salamat and Bani Halba tribes fought a deadly conflict in August 2023 that killed and injured hundreds of people, destroyed villages, and triggered large-scale displacement. Peace conferences later held in Kass and Mukjar, under the auspices of Rapid Support Forces Deputy Commander Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, paved the way for reconciliation efforts.
Last December, both sides announced a final peace agreement after compensation payments were made, with support from Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. However, the latest violence has raised concerns about the durability of that agreement.