On the evening of 17th September, a group of armed pastoralists forcibly entered their cattle into the farms of residents in the Aidan area, situated west of Gereida locality, South Darfur. As the farmers sought to drive out the cattle from their farms the pastoralists opened fire killing two, a mother and son, and injuring four including a police officer. The two killed were:
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Zeinab Yagoub Omar;
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Mohamed Osman Ismail.
The following were reportedly wounded:
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Ahmed Abaker Ali;
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El Zain Salih Mohamed;
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Madania Jamal Yahya;
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Imad Mohamed Othman Al Malik (Police Officer).
Those injured were evacuated to Nyala in order to receive treatment. The local police in Gereida were informed of the incident but failed to respond immediately.
Following the initial attack, the pastoralists and their relatives, estimated at 70 persons, mobilised and attacked the police as a pre-emptive measure. In response the police informed Idris Bilal Kuku, the local governor of Gereida, who requested support from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The mobilised SAF, Police and RSF force assembled, but were ambushed by the pastoralists with sustained fighting taking place until they reached Sarqila area whereupon the pastoralists fled to the Um Doaban area. One officer and five pastoralists were killed in the clashes, and 18 persons were arrested.
Following the fighting the combined force returned to Gereida in order to maintain the security of the residents and their farms.
The 18 persons arrested were confirmed as remnants of the former regime, the National Congress Party (NCP), who sought to sabotage and disrupt the security of the locality and notably in areas of production.
