Kabkabiya — Repeated airstrikes on Kabkabiya in North Darfur on Wednesday led to the death of 16 people, among them 12 children. Dozens of others were injured. Nine houses were demolished.

Kabkabiya is under control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Resident Adnan Ibrahim reported yesterday that an Antonov dropped a barrel bomb on the Soleng School on Wednesday. Three children died. A second bomb fell on a house in the southern part of the town, killing three people. Several people were wounded.

A displaced woman, who preferred to withhold her name for security reasons, told Radio Dabanga that six students at the Osman School Complex were killed when a bomb fell near the school in the Tabiya neighbourhood. Dozens of people were wounded. Three houses collapsed.

A second bomb that fell in the Karkara neighbourhood killed three children, wounded dozens of people, and destroyed six houses.

The air raids, which caused great panic among the people, also led to the destruction of two water tanks in the Amiriya and Karkara neighbourhoods, which caused a severe water crisis in several parts of the town.

In March, airstrikes led to the death of three women, many wounded, and the destruction of large parts of Kabkabiya Hospital.

Insecurity and soaring prices

The displaced woman added that the area of Kabkabiya is witnessing a proliferation of weapons. "Everywhere you find armed men on motorcycles wreaking havoc in the area."

"Camp resident Yousef Daoud (52) was shot dead on Wednesday while he was returning to to Kabkabiya from his farm in Margouba. Two gunmen on a motorcycle intercepted him, told him to give them all his belongings, and then killed him."

She further complained about the soaring food prices. "We now pay SDG1,100 for a pound of sugar, SDG2,500 for a kilo of flour, and SDG4,000 for a kilo of rice."

* The middle rate of the US Dollar at the Omdurman National Bank on May 14 amounted to SDG1,265. The greenback was selling for SDG1,700 at the parallel market on May 8.