Report: July 30, 2026(Darfur24)
Despite successive peace agreements and local reconciliations, South Darfur state remains one of the Darfur region’s states most vulnerable to renewed Inter-communal violence.
This nature of inter-tribal violence in South Darfur is characterized by a complex overlap of historical, geographical, and natural resource factors, coupled with state intervention and the proliferation of weapons, resulting in a recurring cycle of inter-communal fighting that is difficult to break.
The first season of the “Stories from Darfur” podcast, broadcast by the Darfur24 platform, presents field testimonies and academic analyses to understand the root causes of the ongoing tribal conflicts Darfur region.
Renewed Conflict:
Last June,intercommunal violence broke out in areas of Kabum locality between the Salamat and Bani Halba tribes, resulting in casualties, displacement of residents, and the burning and looting of dozens of homes.
Ahmed Al-Tahir Ahmed, a survivor of the inter-tribal clashes between the Salamat and Bani Halba tribes recounts that the initial cause of the tribal fighting was triggered by looting and theft in the Dumba area, that subsequently developed into widespread confrontations extending from the town of Dumba to the western part of the Markundi area.
Ahmed says the attacks resulted in the destruction and burning of houses and displacement of many residents. He calls on the warring parties to prioritize peace to safeguard the future of children and the well-being of the elderly.
Root Causes of the Conflict:
Haitham Mohammedin, a researcher in peace and conflict issues and a professor at Nyala University, believes that the outbreak of inter-communal fightings in Darfur are not a new phenomenon, but they have become more violent and complex in recent decades.
Haitham explains that the social structure in Darfur was historically formed around tribes and traditional administrations that played a crucial role in containing local disputes. However, the nature of the conflicts has changed with the emergence of more complex issues, most notably disputes over land, land ownership rights, and resource ownership.
Mohammedin adds that environmental pressures, including drought and desertification, have driven increasing numbers of pastoralists to move south toward more fertile savanna regions, leading to escalating tensions with farming communities over traditional migration routes and grazing areas.
The State and the Complexity of the Crisis:
Haitham believes that state intervention in the affairs of local native administrations was one of the most prominent factors contributing to the complexity of the inter-tribal ùnconflicts.
The university professor points out that the period that witnessed the division of Darfur into states in 1994 until after the Doha Agreement and the establishment of localities and administrative units based on tribal affiliations ,exacerbated competition among local groups.
He argues that these arrangements were not always based on established local governance criteria, such as population density, resources, and geographical extent, but rather created new hotspots for competition and conflict.
Root Causes of the Conflict:
The issue of traditional land ownership ,remains one of the most sensitive files in South Darfur.
The researcher says that the state has failed to manage land ownership effectively, explaining that many traditional land ownership systems (hawakir) are based on historical documents and customs that define their boundaries and usufruct rights.
Dr. Mohamedin accuses previous authorities of interfering in the traditional administrative(native administrations) structures within some hawakir systems, empowering certain tribal groups at the expense of others, and settling populations in areas from which their indigenous communities had been displaced by war.
He emphasizes that a hawakeer differs from a “dar” (a traditional tribal dwelling), as a hawakir represents the historical property of a specific tribe, while other tribes reside within it, enjoying rights to agriculture or grazing without owning the land.
The Proliferation of Weapons:
Mohamedin indicates that the proliferation of weapons among civilians has significantly triggered the nature of inter-communal fighting.
He says that arming certain tribal groups at various times has contributed to increased tribal violence, while disarmament campaigns by the government have failed to achieve their objectives. This has led to some groups acquiring combat vehicles and advanced weaponry, which has prolonged conflicts.
Despite this, he rules out the possibility that these conflicts will lead to the collapse of the social fabric in Darfur, noting that historical ties based on intermarriage and coexistence between tribes remain a crucial factor in containing divisions.
He emphasizes that genuine reconciliation is not limited to signing agreements, but requires their practical implementation, with the involvement of youth, women, and religious leaders, alongside the application of transitional justice principles and addressing the violations resulting from the war.
Local Initiatives aimed at Containing the Conflict:
In response to escalating tensions, youth groups in Nyala launched community initiatives to prevent the inter-communal violence from spreading.
Amin Mohamed Younis, a member of the initiative, says that the youth succeeded in calming the situation and preventing what he described as a “major tribal.conflict” between the Bani Halba and Salamat tribes, stressing that the initiative received a broad response from the community.
He added: “We believe that peace is the priority, and security is the goal, and therefore we are working to deny the instigators of strife and the merchants of war any opportunity.”
Guns Don’t Make Peace:
For his part, Musa Abdullah al-Imam, a resident of the Dumba area and a witness to the recent inter communal fighting between Salamat and Bani Halba, believes that weapons do not resolve conflicts but rather exacerbate them.
He says that elders from both tribes have been working hard to prevent a recurrence of the conflict, considering that the root cause of the crisis are more related to the issue of land ownership and its management than to social disputes between citizens.
Musa adds that addressing conflicts requires dialogue and adherence to the law, not resorting to weapons, because the continuation of violence will only lead to further losses of lives and division among communities.
*This report was prepared based on episodes from the first season of the “Stories from Darfur” podcast, produced by the Darfur24 platform and published on its website and social media platforms.