Zalingei/Qureida, September 05 (Darfur24)
Three people were killed in separate suspected armed robbery incidents in Central and South Darfur, while clashes following one of the attacks left additional people injured, according to residents and community leaders.
In Deleij town, Wadi Saleh locality, Central Darfur, two brothers, Mohamed and Idris Adam, were shot dead after confronting armed men who attacked their shop to loot it, according to Ahmed Mohamed, a local community leader.
Mohamed told Darfur24 that the killings triggered protests and heightened tensions, prompting authorities to pursue the suspected attackers. The situation later escalated into clashes between an armed group linked to the victims’ families and an armed force allied with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Adel Ibrahim, a resident, said two people were injured in the clashes: 25-year-old Najm al-Din Abdul Rahman, known as “Wad Dardasha,” and 27-year-old Al-Nour Mustafa. Both were taken to hospital.
The fighting continued until Friday, Ibrahim said, forcing the closure of Deleij market and disrupting internet services. Military vehicles were reportedly used during the clashes.
He said the number of casualties could be higher but could not be independently verified because of restricted movement and continued insecurity. He also said RSF-allied armed groups involved in the clashes wore military uniforms and used military vehicles.
In a separate incident in the Al-Tawil area of Qureida locality, South Darfur, a citizen was shot dead at dawn Thursday in what witnesses and local sources described as a suspected robbery.
A resident speaking to Darfur24 on condition of anonymity said an armed man shot the victim while attempting to rob him before members of the local community tracked the suspect to nearby Qureida town.
RSF leaders intervened to prevent tensions between residents from escalating into clashes, the resident said. Local administrators, the RSF and police subsequently pledged to arrest the suspect and bring him to justice.
Ammar Ismail, an RSF commander in Qureida, expressed regret over the killing and pledged to pursue the perpetrator.
The incidents come amid growing insecurity in parts of Darfur, where armed robbery, theft, farmer-herder clashes, kidnapping and extortion have contributed to rising violence against civilians.
South Darfur’s southern areas, in particular, have recorded an increase in armed robberies and killings, especially along roads linking major towns and cities.
Darfur24 was unable to obtain an official comment from the RSF civilian administration in Central Darfur regarding the Deleij clashes.