NGO details militia attacks on civilians

The Washington-based NGO, Refugees International (RI), has urged the Sudanese government "to immediately cease participating in and sponsoring attacks against civilians in the troubled western Darfur region", saying it had learnt of numerous such raids during a recent mission to Sudan. "We interviewed as many villagers and IDPs [internally displaced persons] as possible from different locations. The information was gathered from people who witnessed the situation in different locations," Shannon Meehan, who was part of the RI team that visited Darfur, told IRIN on Thursday. The Sudanese government denies supporting armed militias to attack civilians in Darfur. On Wednesday, its armed forces issued a statement in the capital, Khartoum, saying claims that it had bombed some areas and supported the Janjawid militia were "false and unfounded". According to RI, the following are some of the attacks on civilians that recently took place in Darfur: - An attack by more than 400 armed horsemen on the village of Donki Dereisa on 12 July, supported by a fixed-wing aircraft that bombed the village and by several military vehicles filled with Sudanese foot soldiers. It resulted in the death of 150 villagers, including six young children, aged three to fourteen, who were captured during the assault and burned alive later that day. A man who tried to save them was beheaded and dismembered. - An attack by the Janjawid on the village of Talha on approximately 12 July. The attack, which left at least 20 dead, including several children, was supported by a military airplane. - An assault by hundreds of armed horsemen on the village of Tabaldiat on approximately 13 July. The raiders killed some 80 civilians and burned the village to the ground. - An attack on approximately 13 July on the village of Abu Noura by hundreds of Janjawid, who were supported by a fixed wing aircraft and two military vehicles. Approximately 12 men were killed in the attack and the village was looted and burned. - Two attacks by the Janjawid on the village of Ghanja. The first took place on 1 July and was launched by a group of 400 horsemen, accompanied by a fixed wing aircraft, a helicopter and several military vehicles. Eight men were killed during the assault, 17 were injured and hundreds of cows, goats and sheep were stolen. The second, which was conducted by approximately 200 mounted fighters, took place three weeks later on approximately 19 July. This time, the Janjawid, who were escorted by four Land Cruisers filled with Sudanese soldiers, killed five villagers and wounded three others. -An attack on the outskirts of the village of Janjawannah on approximately 7 July. The attack was conducted by approximately 20 Janjawid fighters, who killed three men and stole all of their livestock. - An attack by scores of Janjawid on the village of Moraia Jenge in mid-July. They came on horse and camelback and were accompanied by Sudanese soldiers who rode in vehicles with machine gun mounts. The village was looted and a woman was shot in the thigh. - An attack by dozens of armed horsemen and camel riders on the village of Mosabikra in mid-July. The attackers, who were likewise accompanied by military vehicles filled with Sudanese soldiers, stole livestock and personal belongings and shot one of the villagers in cold blood. According to RI, other attacks by Janjawid militias occurred during the first three weeks of July in the villages of Abuhambrah, Kayola, Amakasarah, Sarmah and Kirikos. "The attacks documented by RI all occurred in South Darfur. In Darfur's other two states, the government's terror campaign has been so thorough that there are few villages left to attack," RI said. "The African Union has, however, documented at least one chilling incident in West Darfur that took place on 3 July, when several civilians were burned alive, following an attack by Janjawid militia on the village of Suleia." RI added: "Given the government's continuing participation in the violence, it is hardly surprising that it has done nothing to disarm the Janjawid as it promised to do when it signed the joint communiqué. Moreover, while Khartoum claims to have taken steps to bring those who have been committing the atrocities to justice, the reality is very different." "For instance, the government ferried approximately 100 hungry families to the village of Sania Dalaiba on 12 July, the same day in which Janjawid and government forces attacked the village of Donki Dereisa, just 40 miles further south," RI said. "The returnees informed RI that the government had failed to make good on their promise of assistance and were very afraid for their safety - with good reason. Other returnees have been killed, beaten, raped and/or threatened by roaming bands of Janjawid," it added. The RI report is available at: www.refintl.org