‘Here, there is no future’: ethnic cleansing and fresh atrocities drive exodus of thousands from Darfur
Almost a year since conflict reignited in Sudan, its terrified people are crossing borders to Chad and beyond. An increasing number are trying to reach Europe as food supplies dwindle in the refugee camps and the eyes of the world look elsewhere
They burst into the room, yanking the boy from under a bed. His brown eyes wide open with terror, they put a gun to his temple. Two shots. Nadifa Ismail ran towards the body, but the intruders shoved the mother out of her home. Moments later, armed men set it ablaze, cremating her child’s body, destroying everything she had.
Weeks later, at 4pm on 28 February in Sudan’s Darfur region, Nadifa, her clothing streaked red with dust, passed the paramilitary group who had executed her 16-year-old son shortly after breakfast.
“Hopefully it is the last time I will see them,” she said. “They beat me too.”
Nadifa was the 212th person that day to make it through the border crossing and into the town of Adré in eastern Chad.
