El Fasher, October 11 (Darfur24)
Farmers in Kabkabiya, located about 155 kilometers west of El Fasher, have warned that this year’s agricultural season is at risk of failure due to a surge in attacks by herders ahead of the harvest.
Mariam Ishaq, a farmer, told Darfur24 that a group of herders attacked farms in the Dibba “Kwa Kli” area north of Kabkabiya, destroying more than 50 acres of crops and forcing farmers to abandon their land. She said the herders assault anyone who tries to stop their livestock from entering the fields and insist on grazing their animals on ripe crops.
A community leader in Kabkabiya confirmed that most farms in the western areas, as well as some in Wadi Bari, have faced similar attacks. He warned that the agricultural season is likely to fail due to a lack of protection and a lack of official response.
He added that the Rapid Support Forces have avoided taking serious action against the herders despite repeated complaints from local authorities, while the High Committee for the Agricultural Season has failed to fulfill its oversight role.
The community leader noted that the season began successfully, but attacks from herders have become the main threat ahead of harvest, especially as herders use weapons against farmers and ignore designated grazing routes.
Across Darfur, clashes between herders and farmers are common during the harvest season and often escalate into tribal conflicts that result in deaths and injuries on both sides.