A Bleak picture and ambiguous reality is being experienced in the city of Zalengie, the capital of central Darfur state, as a result of the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary rapid support forces RSF.
Although the clashes are taking place in the centre of the city, there are heavy losses among civilian population, preliminary information indicates that the number of victims exceeds 200 dead, and there is anxiety and fear among the residents of city due to the stray bullets, indiscriminate shooting and insecurity.
The city of Zalengie is completely is completely isolated due to the interruption of communication services for more three months, while the main roads liking the city to other Darfur cities are witnessing very strict security measures..
The roads liking the city of Zalengie with the city of El-geneina, the provincial capital of west Darfur state which passes near the army command headquarters in the western direction was completely closed after the clashes…and the people coming from El-geneina were forced to take other dirty roads that passes South of the city.
Violent confrontations that take place from time to time within the city of Zalengie, with the absence of communication there are no details about what happened and what is happening.
A resident from zalengie named Husien said ” there insecurity,chaos and spread of gunmen wearing RSF uniform on motorcycles, rickshaws as well as four wheel drive vehicles.
He pointed out that RSF control large parts of the city, while the Sudanese army controls South Western part of Zalengie, where the army command headquarters is located.
Husien said all government institutions, foreign organisation premises, zalengie university and banks, were completely looted and ransacked.
He stressed that RSF commander in central Darfur state called Ali yagoub has occupied the governor’s house and taken it as his residence.
He also warned of the consequence of the continuation of the war, lack of communication and the closure of the main roads as well as scarcity of the food supplies from the market.
Hussein pointed out that most of RSF affiliates in the state are on alert, while most of RSF members who hail from Bani Halba and Salamat clans have left for their areas to fight alongside their respective tribes, where tribal violence between the two Tribes has been taking place for a month.
At the the same level, he said that the forces fighting alongside the Sudanese army are known as the security arrangements forces, and most of them come from Arab tribes, especially, the Mahameed clan,which is led by Sheikh Musa Hilal.