Two dozen dead in Sudan following tribal clashes
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Alaina
- . August 14, 2020
- . Update: August 14, 2020 3:30 pm
The violence that has been going on for the past three days has claimed the lives of at least 25 people, injuring scores of others.
In Port Sudan, in the eastern province of the Red Sea, fighting erupted earlier this week between the Beni Amer tribe and the displaced Nuba tribe. Over the last three days, at least 25 people have been killed and nearly 90 others wounded in the violence. A large number of houses and shops were also burnt down even as the Governor of the Red Sea state appealed for calm and asked people to strengthen the spirit of brotherhood and citizenship.
Curfews were imposed by the Red Sea Security Committee which has said, in addition to batons, whips and tear gas, it will not hesitate to use even bullets to prevent new fighting. Troops have also been deployed to the area by the Central government. Residents have demanded that those involved in the violence be arrested and brought to justice.
This is not the first time fighting has broken out between the two tribes, though the violence has been escalating over the past year. The latest round of tensions actually dates back to May 2019 in the eastern city of Gadarif. Violence flared up once again in August in Port Sudan when over 30 people were killed. In January this year, nine people were killed in a fresh round of violence.
The Prime Minister of Sudan, Abdallah Hamdok has appealed to political parties in the eastern part of the country to aid local authorities in reinstating peace. He is meeting with the country’s security and defence committee to iron out a solution to the conflict.
The fight has largely been around the distribution of resources like water and the right to the city of Port Sudan which is being claimed by both the tribes. Tribal violence is common in Sudan and is increasingly a challenge to the Sudanese authorities to bring stability to the country and set the course for elections in 2022.
