15 November 2009 - Community leaders in Shangil Tobaya, North Darfur, about 50 kilometres from El Fasher, have commended the timely intervention of the AU-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in curtailing the recent clashes in the surrounding villages of Jabel Moskul and Jabelti.

Leaders from the Birgid and Zaghawa groups, and from the Sudanese Liberation Army/Minni Minawi (SLA/M), held a series of meetings among themselves and with the Wali of South Darfur, and visited the UNAMID team site at Shangil Tobaya, during last week.  The community leaders expressed the desire of the local community members to return to their villages to work on their farms, while the SLA/M has assured UNAMID that an agreement on the issue will soon be reached.

Clashes between the two groups broke out on Tuesday 20 October resulting in the deaths of two persons. The immediate cause was attributed to fighting over access to water sources. UNAMID is temporarily supplying water to the affected communities.