Armed clashes erupt in Darfur marketplace: Eyewitnesses

By Mohamed Khatam

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) - Armed clashes erupted on Thursday in Al-Fashir, a city in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region, according to local eyewitnesses.

Witnesses told Anadolu Agency that a group of unidentified gunmen had stormed the Al-Borsa market in the city’s northeast before looting a number of shops in the area.

Khalid Maryoud, a spokesman for the governor of North Darfur State, told Anadolu Agency that a joint force -- consisting of both army and police personnel -- had since been deployed to the scene with a view to arresting members of an "outlawed group".

Maryoud refrained from giving further details, saying more information regarding the incident would be released within hours.

The identity of the attackers remains unknown. Nor is it clear whether Thursday’s clashes resulted in any deaths or injuries.

Since 2003, Darfur has been the scene of fierce conflict between the Sudanese government and a number of rebel groups.

While the UN says more than 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict, Khartoum puts the number at less than 10,000.