When war engulfed Sudan's capital last month, it quickly spread to the western Darfur region, reigniting an old conflict and sending a wave of refugees over the border into Chad.
between Sudan's army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum, which has allowed militias in the area to go unchecked.
"Heavy weapons and machine guns are being fired everywhere. When you go out in the morning, you see new bullet holes in the walls," he said, adding that water supplies were cut and food was running scarce in the city he left.The feared Janjaweed militias first gained power as the government used them against rebels in Darfur two decades ago. More than 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million displaced.
Arab livestock herders migrated to less arid areas during droughts in Darfur in the 1970s and 80s, causing tensions, said Jerome Tubiana, a researcher on the region. "The militias attacked anyone present in the city, even if they initially targeted Masalit tribes. Even Arab residents were not safe," said Mohamed Aldouma, former governor of the state and member of the Darfur Bar Association, a human rights group.
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