Violence in Darfur violence leaves at least 60 dead

By Nathan Morley

A spike in violence by militants in the region prompted a state of emergency to be declared earlier this month. The area has been plagued by conflicts between government forces and the indigenous population for the last 17-years.

In the latest incident, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that about 500 militants attacked the village of Masteri in the West Darfur state on Saturday afternoon.

In a statement, the UN said this was one of the latest of a series of security incidents reported over the last week that left several villages and houses raised, markets and shops looted, and infrastructure damaged.

Local media reported that clashes between different tribes in the region occurred earlier Saturday and lasted until late Sunday.

The Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok will now deploy security forces to the region to protect citizens during the upcoming farming season.

His announcement was made after unidentified gunmen killed more than 20 farmers in the region.

The UN says the escalation of violence is sparking increased displacement, compromising the crucial agricultural season and causing loss of lives and livelihoods.

As it stands, the government is talking with several rebel groups from Darfur in an attempt to halt years of civil unrest.