44 Dead After Internal Strife Among the Janjaweed
November 17, 2005
After looting other native Darfurians, two factions of the government aligned Janjaweed militia fought a bloody internal battle on Sunday, November 13, sparked by a dispute about division of the loot. Three sources reported to Damanga that it was one of the biggest internal battles in recent memory.
The two Arab Janjaweed tribes, the Bin-Kulaib and Moro, were living together and raiding native Darfurians in the Al-Geneina suburb of Arbukune District northeast of Dorty Village. Having stolen many cattle, sheep, and goats, the Janjaweed began to squabble over how to divide the livestock.
Initially three or four men discussed the division of the loot. Haraka Assad, a well known leader of the Janjaweed, who even before the current conflict was famous for his pillaging prowess, was one of the instigators. The talk descended into a shouting match, and then one of the Janjaweed pulled a knife and stabbed a member of the other tribe. The compatriots of the stabbed man immediately killed the first assailant and chaos ensued. The two formally friendly tribes separated into fighting forces. The men began shooting at any members of the opposite tribes, including women and children who were present in the camp. Before the Sudanese army and police could restore peace 44 people were dead and 93 were injured. The injured were taken to the nation’s best hospitals in Khartoum and Omdurman where they were carefully separated to protect against revenge attacks. The rapid government intervention and the extensive treatment for Janjaweed at the best hospitals is a far cry from the care that native Darfurians can ever hope to achieve.
There is still no official word on Haraka Assad, but it is believed that up to six of his close relatives were killed.
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