In a new chapter of chaos engulfing Sudan, the city of Karnoi in the Darfur region has become the scene of a bloody internal conflict between two clans of the Zaghawa tribe, leaving at least 19 people dead, including prominent tribal leaders, and causing widespread destruction across villages and areas once administered by the well-known tribal chief Shartai Adam Sabi.

Roots of the Conflict and the Death of Shartai Sabi

The tensions trace back to the abduction of Shartai Sabi, the paramount chief of Dar Qala, in mid-August, when he was kidnapped from his home in Karnoi and taken to an unknown location, according to a report by Darfur 24.That incident reignited deep-seated hostilities among Zaghawa clans, particularly after accusations emerged that Sabi had leaked coordinates for a drone strike targeting a community meeting in Tine, which had been convened to discuss an armed robbery that claimed the lives of several Zaghawa members in Sudan and Chad in 2021.

According to the same source, the Joint Forces – comprising armed groups allied with the Sudanese army – played an active role in fueling the conflict through their covert support for one of the warring factions.

Involvement of Port Sudan Authorities

Recent developments indicate that the crisis has transcended tribal boundaries. Preliminary findings suggest the involvement of influential figures within Port Sudan’s ruling authorities, backed by allied armed movements, in stoking the violence, according to a statement from the Darfur Regional Government.

In its statement, the government expressed its “deep sorrow and regret” over the events in Karnoi, confirming casualties, missing persons, and injuries, and warning against attempts to ignite sedition among the Zaghawa community.It “strongly condemned” what it described as “systematic assaults,” holding the parties that planned and executed these crimes fully responsible before the law, and vowing to prosecute everyone found complicit, “regardless of position or affiliation.”

The government urged all social components of the Dar Zaghawa community to exercise restraint and reject cycles of revenge, stressing that “societal awareness and unity form the first line of defense against conspiracies targeting communal harmony and peace.”The statement added that the government was pursuing the investigation through its security and legal institutions, noting that the deliberate escalation bore the fingerprints of political forces linked to Islamist authorities in Port Sudan. It affirmed that Darfur would remain resilient against division and internal conflict “thanks to the solidarity and steadfastness of its people.”

Deeper Roots of Tribal Conflicts

Researchers argue that the escalation of tribal violence in Sudan stems from the absence of democracy and the politicization of tribal identity, as highlighted by a study published by the Center for Arab Unity Studies.The study noted that the 1989 coup by the National Islamic Front led to the erosion of democratic practices that had previously weakened tribal loyalties in favor of political engagement. It added that Omar al-Bashir’s regime did not approach tribal conflicts with neutrality but instead sought to co-opt ethnic elites to serve its own agenda.

Over time, disputes over pastures, water, and land transformed into ethnic and political confrontations, fueled by the empowerment and discriminatory policies of the al-Bashir-era government. As a result, Darfur became a battlefield, particularly against African communities such as the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa.

Systematic Crimes in Darfur

In this context, Human Rights Watch documented crimes by the Sudanese government that it described as “ethnic cleansing” in Darfur, citing the killing of thousands of civilians from the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa groups, alongside widespread sexual violence, village destruction, and resource looting.The organization reported that these violations forced over one million civilians into internal displacement camps, while more than 110,000 fled to Chad, marking one of the worst humanitarian disasters in modern African history.

The “Impoverish Them” Policy: Poverty as a Political Weapon

Despite the Zaghawa’s significant role in supporting the Sudanese military during the current war, they have endured systematic exclusion, which activists say has intensified under Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s rule in Port Sudan.

Sudanese activist Younis Jumaa Bush stated that the former National Congress Party government implemented what was known as the “Impoverish Them” Law – an unofficial directive promoting deliberate economic marginalization through financial restrictions, taxes, and market levies, especially in the capital, Khartoum.

Bush explained that this policy “began in Omdurman’s Libya Market, where traders loyal to the regime – known as the Shendiboys and Abkliwa boys – were granted customs and tax exemptions in exchange for driving out Zaghawa merchants and taking over their stalls.”These practices, he added, forced large numbers of Zaghawa to migrate to neighboring African countries in search of better opportunities after being economically sidelined in their own homeland.

The events in Karnoi reveal that tribal conflicts in Darfur are no longer local disputes but have become political instruments for settling scores among rival power centers in Sudan. The intra-Zaghawa conflict – and the involvement of actors from Port Sudan – reflects the depth of political and ethnic fragmentationthreatening what remains of Sudan’s fragile social fabric.

Unless serious measures are taken to break this vicious cycle – through justice, accountability, and a revival of the civilian path– Darfur will remain a flashpoint in a war with no end in sight.

Bayethe Msimang is an independent writer, commentator and political analyst.

The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of IOL/Independent Media.

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