One Dead, Nine Wounded in Clash at Darfur Camp

One Dead, Nine Wounded in Clash at Darfur Camp, UN in Sudan Confirms

New York, May 23 2005 3:00PM

One person died and nine others were injured in a recent clash between police and merchants in Darfur's largest camp of about 150,000 people who fled fighting in the remote region, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) said today.

UNMIS reported that on 19 May, a clash between police and merchants in Kalma camp housing internally displaced persons (IDPs) in South Darfur state reportedly resulted in one civilian death and nine injuries – six IDPs and three policemen.

Following the incident, police from the African Union (AU) mission in Darfur and elements of the AU Protection Force established a round-the-clock presence at the camp. The situation appears to have calmed, and yesterday, agencies were allowed to re-enter the camp to resume humanitarian assistance.

UNMIS officials met with the South Darfur Police Commissioner, who said that he had taken steps to improve and strengthen the police presence around the camp. The Commissioner informed UNMIS that measures had been taken against the six policemen involved in the harassment of IDPs. He ended by saying that to facilitate the return of peace in the camp, the police have agreed to release the IDPs arrested during the disturbances.

Meanwhile, in the North Darfur area of El-Fasher, the AU received reports of fighting in the areas of Amou valley near Turiyaa between the Sudanese Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) factions, and armed tribesmen.

In West Darfur, heavy fighting reportedly broke out near Golo, Jebel Marra, between SLA and Government forces on 16 and 17 May. On 19 May, a series of reported cattle-rustling related incidents between nomads and local farmers and Chadian-Zagawa nomads north of Seleah resulted in several deaths.

UNMIS said the situation in Seleah presently is calm, but tensions still high, and the probability of further conflicts is also high. The Mission has not yet suspended movement through Seleah, but is monitoring the security situation closely.

ENDS

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