Sudan has set up a joint military and police investigative team to probe last Sunday’s tribal clashes in West Darfur state that left five people dead and eight persons injured vowing to prosecute all those indicted, the powerful Sovereign Council said on Wednesday.
“The unfortunate events witnessed by El Geneina will not pass without accountability. Freedom and democracy do not mean chaos,” Mohamed Hamdan Daqlu, deputy chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, told reporters at El Geneina, the capital city of West Darfur State.
The tribal clashes occurred between Masaleet and Arab tribes on Sunday following the killing of a member of an Arab tribe near Krinding camp, leaving at least five killed and eight injured. Consequently, local authorities in West Darfur State declared a curfew in El Geneina and closed all government institutions, schools and markets.
Daqlu stressed the ability of the authorities to reach all the perpetrators and those responsible for the events and said they will be held accountable in accordance with the law, a Xinxua news agency report said.
He assured residents of the readiness of Sudan’s armed forces to ensure security in the state, noting that the fact-finding committee has already embarked on investigation procedures.
“Whoever seeks to create sedition to reach power will be held accountable and all criminals will face justice,” Daqlu said.
The deputy chairman did not give a timeframe during which the report is expected from the investigative team.