East Darfur — Government authorities arrested five herders who attacked farms in the Shaeriya locality of East Darfur yesterday.

The Executive Director of Sheariya locality, Hassan Abdelrahim, told Darfur24 that the area in which the incident occurred, happened "despite the migration tracks for herders being open".

He stated that conflicts in the disputed area of Sheariya between farmers and herders erupt regularly during the autumn season, "due to the expansion of cultivated areas at the expense of pastures in Darfur".

Abdelrahim went on to add that the authorities acted legally, and they have the sufficient military force to intervene and resolve the conflict by force.

Rising tensions between herders and farmers

On May 15, the Regional Governor of Darfur, Minni Arko Minawi, called for the traditional migration tracks of herders to be reopened speedily, and stressed reconciliation and tolerance among all components, in order to stabilise and expand agriculture in East Darfur.

Minawi called on leaders in El Daein to regulate relations between farmers and herders, properly demarcate paths and farms, and expand agriculture, "Which will require reconciliation and tolerance among all components".

He also called on leaders to working together for the stability of the greater Darfur region, saying that "refusing dialogue amounts to exclusion and leads to war". He pointed out that plans being carried out in the camps in El Daein does not deprive them of the status of IDP camps.