100 killed in Darfur tribal clashes in past week: UN

KHARTOUM: The UN announced that about 100 people were killed in tribal clashes over the past week in Sudan's West Darfur province.

The fighting grew out of a land dispute between Arab and African tribes in the town of Kulbus in West Darfur, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said.

It added that local Arab militias attacked multiple villages in the area, forcing thousands to flee, reports Xinhua news agency.

Volker Perthes, head of the UN Integrated Transitional Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), condemned the recent tribal clashes.

"I'm appalled, again, by the violence in Kulbus, West Darfur, with so many deaths," said Perthes on his Twitter account on Monday.

"The cycle of violence in Darfur is unacceptable and highlights root causes that must be addressed," he added.

The UN envoy called on community leaders, authorities, and armed groups to de-escalate and ensure the protection of civilians.

Sudan's Darfur region has been witnessing a civil war since 2003 during the rule of former President Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted from power in April 2019.

The previous transitional government in Sudan sought to end the armed conflict in the Darfur region through an agreement reached on October 3, 2020, but some armed groups have not yet signed it.

For years, efforts failed to end the tribal conflicts, which have become a nagging concern for the local population and the authorities of the troubled region.

Many factors, including disturbances, tribes' access to weapons, and lack of effective governance in many parts of the Darfur region, have contributed to the growing violence in the region.

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