Sirba , April 9( Darfur 24)
The movements of forces affiliated with the Justice and Equality Movement in a number of areas of Sirba locality in West Darfur state have raised fears of the outbreak of a civil conflict, in which the Rapid Support Forces may not be involved.
Last March, local leaders from the Aranga tribe accused the Justice and Equality Movement of obstructing the peaceful coexistence conference that was scheduled to be held between the Aranga and Arab tribes in the Abu Suruj area of Sirba locality, before it was postponed to a later time without specifying a definitive date.
Eyewitnesses told Darfur 24, “There is intense activity by members of the Justice and Equality Movement in the areas adjacent to Jebel Moon and the villages of Sirba locality.”
They pointed out that some shepherds complained of being subjected to provocations from members of the Justice and Equality Movement, led by Finance Minister Jibril Ibrahim, in areas adjacent to the town of Abu Surouj.
On the other hand, the Rapid Support Forces strengthened their deployment around the villages of Sirba, according to testimonies broadcast by citizens in videos they posted on social media, and they also expressed fears of security disturbances.
The videos show large numbers of citizens of the villages of Kindibi and Abu Suruj fleeing from their homes, heading to refugee camps in eastern Chad.
A teacher in the Kindibi region, Abdul Aziz Abdullah, told “Darfur 24” that the reason citizens sought refuge in Chad was due to hunger and lack of food. He acknowledged the existence of security chaos in the region, but described it as limited.
The intensity of the disputes between the Rapid Support Forces and some Darfur movements participating in the fighting alongside the army, including the Justice and Equality Movement, has increased, as this is clearly evident in the spread of hate speech on social media sites.