UN ‘Appalled’ by Deadly Darfur Clashes

Protesters attend a rally calling for a stop to killing in Darfur and stability for peace, next to a building in front of Ministry of Justice in Khartoum, Sudan September 23, 2019. (REUTERS)
Protesters attend a rally calling for a stop to killing in Darfur and stability for peace, next to a building in front of Ministry of Justice in Khartoum, Sudan September 23, 2019. (REUTERS)
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UN ‘Appalled’ by Deadly Darfur Clashes

Protesters attend a rally calling for a stop to killing in Darfur and stability for peace, next to a building in front of Ministry of Justice in Khartoum, Sudan September 23, 2019. (REUTERS)
Protesters attend a rally calling for a stop to killing in Darfur and stability for peace, next to a building in front of Ministry of Justice in Khartoum, Sudan September 23, 2019. (REUTERS)

The UN said on Friday it was “appalled” by the resurgence of violence in Sudan’s West Darfur region, saying all tribes responsible for the bloodshed must be disarmed.

The UN Human Rights Office called for independent investigations, adding that those responsible for abuses should be held accountable.

“We are appalled by the latest resurgence of violence between Massalit and Arab tribes in West Darfur in Sudan that left at least 87 people dead, more than 191 injured and forced thousands to flee their homes,” spokeswoman Marta Hurtado told reporters in Geneva, AFP reported.

“We are also disturbed by the slow progress in ensuring accountability for this and previous violence, despite repeated calls by victims and their families.”

The death toll is likely to be significantly higher.

On Thursday, Mohammed Abdallah Douma, governor of the region bordering Chad, told a news conference in Khartoum: “According to medical reports, the number of dead is now 132.”

The Massalit are mainly farmers, while the Arab tribes are mainly herders, said Hurtado, with the violence and divisions rooted in disputes over land, pasture and water resources.

She said the latest bout of violence erupted on April 3 in the West Darfur state capital El Geneina when assailants shot dead two Massalit men. In response, armed elements from both sides mobilized.

By the evening of April 5, “the streets of El Geneina were strewn with dozens of bodies, including those of women and children,” Hurtado said.

“The authorities failed to stop the clashes, despite a robust security force presence in the town.

“All tribes responsible for violence in Darfur must be disarmed and the state must be able to maintain order and ensure the rule of law.”

The UN Human Rights Office called for independent, impartial and thorough investigations without delay, “to pave the way for genuine reconciliation and lasting peace.”

“We urge the government to ensure prompt, transparent and effective follow-up to these investigations. All those responsible for human rights abuses must be held accountable,” said Hurtado.

“Grievances from both sides must be tackled after decades-long ethnic disputes stoked by the previous regime.”

The vast Darfur region was previously ravaged by a civil war that erupted in 2003, leaving around 300,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced, according to the UN.



PMF Sparks Dispute between Washington and Baghdad 

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (C) and PMF leader Falih Al-Fayyadh (L). (Iraqi government file photo)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (C) and PMF leader Falih Al-Fayyadh (L). (Iraqi government file photo)
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PMF Sparks Dispute between Washington and Baghdad 

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (C) and PMF leader Falih Al-Fayyadh (L). (Iraqi government file photo)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (C) and PMF leader Falih Al-Fayyadh (L). (Iraqi government file photo)

The United State has rejected the law on the legalization of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which is aligned with Iran.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held telephone talks on Wednesday with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on the latest developments in Iraq.

A State Department statement said Rubio “reiterated serious US concerns with the Popular Mobilization Commission (PMC) bill currently pending in the Council of Representatives (COR), emphasizing that any such legislation would institutionalize Iranian influence and armed terrorist groups undermining Iraq’s sovereignty.”

Rubio later posted on X: “We support a prosperous Iraq, free of Iran’s pernicious influence.”

Rubio also spoke to Sudani about the recent attacks on energy infrastructure, including those operated by US companies. He stressed the importance of the Iraqi government holding the perpetrators accountable and preventing future attacks, added the State Department.

The Iraqi government has been investigating the recent attacks in northern Iraq with reports widely suspecting Shiite factions of perpetrating them.

Meanwhile, Sudani’s press office said Iraq supports efforts to consolidate stability in the region and the sustainability of ceasefire agreements.

The PM added that the recent attacks on oil companies “target Iraq’s national economy.”

On the PMF, Sudani informed Rubio that legislation is part of “security reform” efforts adopted by his government.

“The PMF is an official Iraqi military institution that works under the authority of the commander of the armed forces,” read the statement from Sudani’s office.

The main factions of the pro-Iran Coordination Framework have been pushing for legislations that would enshrine new laws related to the recruitment of PMF fighters.

Head of the Center for Political Thinking in Iraq, Dr. Ihssan Shmary told Asharq Al-Awsat that the US has started to focus more on Iraq in recent months in wake of the American strikes on Iran.

The telephone call between Rubio and Sudani revealed American reservations over the PMF and armed groups in Iraq, he added.

Washington has started to sense that Iran was beginning to consolidate its influence in Iraq through the PMF laws, which led it intervene directly through diplomatic channels, he remarked.