Over 130 Killed in Tribal Clashes in Sudan

In clashes between two groups of the "Al-Masiriyah" tribe in Sudan's most important oil region in western Kordofan, at least 130 people have been killed and dozens more injured. The clashes between the "Awlad Imran" and "Al-Ziyoud" groups date back several days and reportedly occurred over land ownership in western Kordofan. The "Al-Masiriyah" tribe, of which these two groups are a part, is considered one of the most important Arab tribes in Sudan. The Sudanese government has not yet reacted to the deadly clashes, but the leader of the "Al-Masiriyah" tribe told Reuters that both sides used heavy weapons in their battle against each other. Another tribal leader who is not involved in the clashes also told AFP that government forces have not yet intervened to separate the fighting parties. Western Kordofan is the main oil-producing region of Sudan and borders the Darfur region, which has seen bloody conflicts resulting in between 200,000 to 400,000 deaths and over two million displaced people over the years. Reuters reports that Arab tribes, many of whom were armed by the Sudanese government, had cooperated with Khartoum against non-Arab tribes and rebels. However, they have now entered into conflict with each other. The "Al-Masiriyah" tribe was among the tribes supported by the central Sudanese government during the country’s 22-year civil war.