HUDO Centre No. H.K/UA/04/022 20th October 2022          URGENT APPEAL RSF REINFORCED MISSERIYA TRIBE TO ATTACK, KILL AND DISPLACE PEOPLE IN LAGAWA, SUDAN On 14thOctober 2022, Rapid Support Force (RSF) invaded Lagawa targeting Nuba tribes and their suburbs, killed, injured, looted and burnt down their houses. They caused major displacement of Lagawa residents. There was no intervention of security forces to stop this attack. This was triggered by the land ownership dispute of Lagawa terri

HUDO Centre No. H.K/UA/04/022 20th October 2022          URGENT APPEAL RSF REINFORCED MISSERIYA TRIBE TO ATTACK, KILL AND DISPLACE PEOPLE IN LAGAWA, SUDAN On 14thOctober 2022, Rapid Support Force (RSF) invaded Lagawa targeting Nuba tribes and their suburbs, killed, injured, looted and burnt down their houses. They caused major displacement of Lagawa residents. There was no intervention of security forces to stop this attack. This was triggered by the land ownership dispute of Lagawa territory by Misseriya. On 13thOctober 2022, during a weekly market in Lagawa, a big group of armed Misseriya people dressed in PDF, RSF and civilian clothes arrived at the market riding motorbikes and tuktuk (about fifty). They started shooting in the air intensively and they verbally insulted and provoked Nuba resident. They moved around telling people (Nuba) that lagawa land belongs to Misseriya and Nuba should be chased out/ away. They were later driven out of the market by Sudan Armed Force (SAF) and they camped themselves at the Southwest part of the town. On 14th October 2022, RSF invaded the town from two directions. They came on pickup vehicles (above 50 vehicles) with RSF number plates and some without number plates. Some of the vehicles were mounted with machine guns. They invaded from the North part of the town through Kirgadi neighbourhood and the second attack was from South-West to Laddi neighbourhood. In Kirgadi, they shot and killed three persons. The names of people killed are; 1. Mr. Suliman Musa Khidir (34 years) labourer from Dajo tribe/ Nuba. He was the first one shot and the following two had tried to rescue him. 2. Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Eldoud known by his nickname Elzain (42 years), nurse and trader from Kamda/ Nuba. 3. Mr. Zakaria Haroun Ibrahim (45 years), teacher from Kamda tribe/ Nuba. In the invasion of laddi side, they shot and killed four persons and burnt the houses. The names of people killed at Laddi are; 1) Mr. Saad Ismail Hassan (35 years), vendor from Kamda/ Nuba. 2) Mr. Habilla Abdoelmoneim Yagoub (32 years), retired policeman/ farmer from Kamda/ Nuba. HUDO Centre 3) Mr. Makeen Muluk Musa (40 years) farmer from Kamda 4) Mr. Eisa Humaida Hassan (44 years) labourer from Kamda There are two other injured people, one of them from Dajo and the other one from Tabaq (HUDO Centre is yet to get their names). This attack forced the residents to flee (seeking protection) to the Laddi primary school where there was SAF checkpoint. Later, they were transported by SAF to SAF headquarter in Lagawa town. On 15thOctober 2022, again RSF came and searched all the remaining houses in Laddi and looted the available stuff and then burnt the rest. On the same day they abducted an underage (boy) named; Jammah Eltaj Jammah (14 years old, student) and his whereabouts unknown up to date. On 16th October 2022, the invaders looted Lagawa market, selected houses of Nuba in other neighborhoods (Eltadamoun, Elhai Elgharbi/ West, Elamara A and Alamara B), and killed a trader inside his house. The killed trader’s name is Mr. Eltahir Wadaa, 38 years old (from Falata/ Fulani tribe). Since then Lagawa residents have been displaced to other towns, some to SPLA-N controlled area and others sought refuge at the military base with no service, food or humanitarian support up to date. The attackers/ RSF have occupied the town and been moving around while SAF keeps watching them (doing nothing) as well as small number of helpless policemen at police office. HUDO is very concerned about the safety of civilians/ and calls upon; · Sudan government to immediately conduct thorough investigations in Lagawa concerning this invasion and the abducted underage should be handled to his family immediately. · Sudan government should account West Kordufan State government in their response. · The West Kordufan State government and security committee to execute their duties towards their citizens responsibly. · To immediately withdraw the RSF invaders from Lagawa town and to be account for their misconduct (loss of lives and property). · The national, international organizations and UN agencies to urgently deliver aid to the victims in Lagawa. HUDO Centre More information Lagawa is the capital town of Lagawa locality in West Kordufan State and it’s located within Nuba Mountains. Lagawa is resided by different tribes of Nuba, Misseriya Zurug (their prince/ the highest community leader is resided in Lagawa) and others. Lagawa was one of the diverse and peaceful towns in Nuba Mountains. On 12th October 2022, there was a security committee meeting in Lagawa locality in which Sultan (highest community leader) of Kamda tribe had submitted a letter to the committee informing them that he got to know the intention of Misseriya to erect a signboard written on it “Lagawa is Misseriya land”. He warned the committee that if that happens, it means a declaration of war issued by Misseriya against Nuba and Kamda in particular. That historically Lagawa land is belonged to Kamda who have welcomed and hosted the other tribes including Misseriya in a peacefully manner. The Kamda Sultan and people of lagawa were informed/ knew the same acts by Misseriya happened in Abu-Zabad on 11th September 2022 when they erected a signboard claiming Abu-Zaba to be Misseriya land which provoked Hamar tribe and triggered a confrontation between them that resulted in killing of about six people. Remarkably, West Kordufan government dealt with Lagawa issue differently than their conduct in Abu-Zabad where serious measurements were taken by then in Abu-Zabad like night curfew and presence of security personnel who were deployed. Lagawa residents have been displaced from their homes. The Nuba tribes including Kamda, Daju, Tabaq and others have been displaced to; a) SAF headquarters in Lagawa town. On 17th October 2022, it was estimated by HAC that twelve thousand (12000) persons were displaced. However between 18th and 19th October 2022, SAF evacuated some to Kadogli town and others evacuated themselves to other places around. Currently it is estimated that around five thousands (5000) refused to leave Lagawa and the number changing every day. b) Others moved to the nearest SPLA-N areas. They are estimated to be seven thousand and five hundred (7500) persons (the figure announced by SPLA-N support this number). As precautions, Misseriya tribe relocated their families to Um-Adara, Kailak, Jangaru and Alarak while small number remained in town at Alnazir, Ehai Elgharbi, Eldabaa and Elshamali neighbourhooods. Other tribes moved further up to Elobeid and other towns The affected rights:Right to life and safety; rule of law · Articles (44 &48)Sudan Transition Constitutional Document 2019 · Articles (6& 26)International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights read with articles (3 &7) in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Print Report Share Link