Nyala, September 09 (Darfur24)
Displaced people burned down the headquarters of the General Administration for Displaced Persons in Kalma camp, South Darfur, following the killing of a young man and a dispute over demands to hand over those accused of the killing, according to camp residents and a local source.
A source told Darfur24 that a fight involving three young men resulted in the death of Abdul-Hafiz Yaqoub. The victim’s family subsequently demanded that the camp administration hand over those accused, but the administration refused.
The source said relatives of the victim then attacked the camp administration headquarters and set it on fire, destroying documents, case files and furniture.
The source added that protesters also attempted to attack the headquarters of the General Coordination of Displaced Persons Camps inside the camp. They were confronted with gunfire, resulting in deaths and injuries, according to the source.
Tensions and security concerns remain high in the camp amid complaints about increased criminal activity and previous killings.
However, the General Coordination of Displaced Persons Camps gave a different account, saying the incident began with the killing of two young men outside the camp before escalating inside. It attributed the escalation to incitement by several individuals, including Yaqoub Mendisi, the victim’s father, and Zakaria.
The coordination accused the parties it described as linked to military intelligence and the Port Sudan government of exploiting the incident to target displaced leaders, incite unrest, and fuel divisions within the camp.
According to the coordination’s statement, two people were killed and several others injured, while the camp administration headquarters was burned. It said the situation had since returned to calm and stability.
Kalma is one of Darfur’s largest displacement camps and has hosted more than 300,000 displaced people since the conflict in Darfur began nearly two decades ago. The camp has also received thousands of people displaced by fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces since April 2023.