09/21/2005

In North Darfur, on the weekend of September 18, militia attacked villages in the area of Tawila and Shangil Tobayi, resulting in an influx of IDPs into nearby camps. On September 19, an AMIS team went to investigate the attacks. Near Hafara town they were ambushed by militia; two members of the Rwandan protection force, and the JEM representative, were shot. The team returned fire, but were forced to flee as they were severely outnumbered. On September 20, all AMIS patrols were suspended in most of North Darfur because of the tense security situation.

RI traveled with another AMIS CFC investigation patrol on September 21, to Zam Zam IDP camp, located about 10 kilometers outside of the capital El Fasher, where about 7,000 IDPs arrived. The team interviewed sheiks and local women about the attacks, and gathered testimony. Because the local interpreters were on strike over a cut in their salaries, the team didn’t have an interpreter and had to rely on a Libyan AMIS Military Observer.