Fragile truce in West Darfur stands after more than 200 dead in inter-communal clashes

May 5. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The truce agreed by the tribes of the Sudanese region of Western Darfur has been successfully maintained in recent days, after the bloody fighting that broke out last week between Arab and Masalit armed groups, taking advantage of the chaos generated by the conflict between the Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and which, according to the latest estimates, have left more than 200 dead and 300 wounded.

Sources from the Sudanese radio station Radio Dabanga describe a “cautious calm” since last Tuesday in the regional capital, El Geneina, where most of the hospitals remain inactive and a large part of the city’s residents have ended up crossing the border with Chad. to end up in the Goz Amir refugee camp.

The displacement to Chad has been possible thanks to the agreement between the tribes, which stipulates the reopening of the communication routes. However, residents are having a hard time getting back out on the city streets as there are currently restrictions against gathering together.

The first wave of refugees arrived in Goz Amir on Wednesday, after a 95 km journey from the border. The place is known among the population of the Sudanese border for its relative proximity as a refuge. “Many of those who have arrived already had relatives living in the camp, which has made everything easier for us,” the refugees themselves told the station.

It now remains to verify the death toll provided by local sources while the more than 300 injured continue to await the opportunity to receive medical care outside of El Geneina, especially considering that NGOs such as Doctors Without Borders have announced the cessation of their activities. in the region due to the prevailing violence.