Approximately 14,000 displaced people have voluntarily returned to 24 villages in the Dar Al-Salam locality in Sudan’s North Darfur State, after fleeing their homes amid attacks and widespread looting by armed groups.
The returnees had sought refuge in Dar Al-Salam Town, the administrative headquarters of the locality, after repeated attacks by armed groups forced them to abandon their villages.
Abdel-Naim Mohamed Ahmed, the Sheikh of Salougi village, told Radio Tamazuj that residents of 24 villages in the Wadi Dagash area had returned to their homes. He said that they requested the Government of Peace and Unity (Tasis), headed by the leader of RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, to provide them with security.
“We were displaced in 2024 during military operations around the army headquarters in El Fasher, when armed groups were roaming the area and looting civilians’ property,” he said. “We have now returned to our villages after requesting the Tasis government to provide security and essential services.”
“Around 14,000 people have returned to the 24 villages, where we found that the authorities had restored water services by repairing a water station and were working to rehabilitate healthcare facilities,” Ahmed added.
Abubakar Ibrahim Mohamed, the Sheikh of Ja’aour village, expressed appreciation to the Tasis government for distributing food baskets to returning families.
He said the assistance included substantial quantities of sugar, flour, tea, pasta, milk and cooking oil, alongside the provision of healthcare, education and drinking water services.
“When the war broke out in El Fasher in 2025, we fled to Dar Al-Salam locality. We have now voluntarily returned to our villages, with approximately 14,000 people making the journey home,” Mohamed said.
He added that residents were pleased with the assistance they had received.
Meanwhile, Ikram Hassan Mabrouk, a resident of Daw Al-Bait village, said villagers had lost virtually all their belongings to looting in 2025, forcing them to seek refuge in Dar Al-Salam.
“Since returning, we have received sufficient food supplies,” she told this publication.
Mabrouk said the stolen property included livestock belonging to village residents, leaving families facing severe hardship and what she described as humiliating treatment.
“We lost our schools, educational services, food, water and virtually everything else,” she said.
Despite the devastation, Mabrouk expressed determination to rebuild their communities following their return.
Another returnee, Suad Abdel-Rahman Yagoub, appealed to the authorities to provide essential education and healthcare services in the villages receiving returning families.
“We fled to Dar Al-Salam two years ago and endured tremendous hardship and suffering,” she said.
Yagoub expressed hope that lasting security would be restored, allowing residents to live safely in their communities without fear of renewed violence.
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