from RAJI BASHIR in Khartoum, Sudan
KHARTOUM, (CAJ News) – THE death toll in the ethnic violence in Sudan has risen to 87.
Some 191 others have been injured since the conflict broke out between the Arab and Masalit communities last Saturday around the city of El Geneina in West Darfur.
The death toll has more than doubled from 40.
More than 108 000 internally displaced people residing in refugee camps in West Darfur have also been forced to flee because of the violence.
Unidentified armed men are blamed for the bloodshed.
Heavy weaponry and rocket-propelled grenades have reportedly been used.
A hospital and a United Nations compound are among facilities hit.
A local power station has been destroyed and there is currently no electricity in El Geneina.
All humanitarian operations have been suspended and local food markets remain closed.
Sudan’s transitional authorities have declared a state of emergency in West Darfur and deployed troops to the region to restore stability.
Volker Perthes, the United Nations envoy in Sudan, urged all parties to immediately end the fighting.
“Security forces should be seen to act in the interest of peace and to protect all civilians, in full compliance with international human rights standards and regardless of tribal or ethnic affiliations.”
Intermittent clashes between Arab and Masalit communities near El Geneina have escalated since the beginning of this year.
During January similar clashes resulted in at least 155 people being killed.
The latest conflicts erupted after two members of the Masalit community were killed.
– CAJ News