Unknown armed men have attempted to storm the residence of a provincial governor in Sudan’s Darfur region but were repelled by guards, according to officials.
There were no injuries or damage in the attempted attack on West Darfur Governor Mohammed Abdalla al-Douma’s residence in El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state, but it underscored the heightened tensions in the restive region where a bout of inter-ethnic violence has killed more than 200 people since last week.
A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to reporters, was quoted as saying by The Associated Press news agency that the attackers opened fire on the heavily fortified residence, prompting the guards to return fire. The exchange lasted for more than an hour.
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Sudan: Tribal clashes on El Geneina leave dozens dead in West Dafur
The bloody events which are still ongoing since Saturday morning have also left at least 97 wounded.
According to the Dafur Bar Association, the attack came just weeks after UN peace-keepers began withdrawing from the region, where violence is increasing, and was triggered when a member of the Masalit tribe stabbed a member of an Arab tribe.
“Armed militias took advantage of the incident and attacked El Geneina from all sides, as well as the nearby Kreinding camp for internally displaced people” the association said.
The association also accused the militias of looting and human rights abuses.