Sudan, Militia Simultaneously Attack Abu Tira Headquarters and Police Station in Saraf Omra, North Darfur

Saraf Omra — During a simultaneous attack by militiamen on the headquarters of the Central Reserve Forces and the police headquarters in Saraf Omra, in North Darfur, four people were killed and four wounded.

Listeners in Saraf Omra told Radio Dabanga that two groups of "government-backed militias, each group in three Land Cruisers mounted with machine guns" on Thursday morning at around 2.30am simultaneously attacked the headquarters of the Central Reserve Forces (also known as Abu Tira), located 1km west of Saraf Omra, and the main police station of Saraf Omra inside the town.

The witnesses said that four people were killed: two women -one of them died when her house burnt down due to an RPG shell-, a man, and a member of the Central Reserve Forces. Four other people were injured. The militias stole three vehicles from the "Abu Tira" troops and two police cars, as well as nine machine guns and all the small and large weapons and ammunition in the stores. They also took various personal properties as well as blankets from the detainees in Saraf Omra prison. They destroyed police files and court documents.

The sources reported that the militiamen used machine guns and RPGs in their attack. The exchange of fire lasted an hour. "All people living in the area woke up in horror and great fear to the sounds of dense gunfire. The sky above Saraf Omra turned into flames and smoke."

The attack is the second of its kind in less than two months. In August during an attack on the main police station two policemen were killed and three others wounded. Two vehicles were stolen, according to Radio Dabanga listeners in Saraf Omra.