Kutum

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For the fish native to the Caspian Sea, see Kutum (fish).

Kutum is northwest of capital Al-Fashir (left center).

Kutum is a town in the Sudanese state of North Darfur. It lies 120 kilometers (74 miles) northwest of the state capital, Al-Fashir.^[1] The town is located along a wadi and therefore also known as Wadi Kutum. It lies north along the Marrah Mountains; the Kutum volcanic field is better known as the Tagabo Hills. As of 2006, it had a population of 45,000, predominantly of the Fur, Tunjur and Berti ethnicities. Kutum lies on one of the traditional north-south migration routes used by Darfuri pastoralists. The town is the also the location of a local market.^[2]

1 History
2 See also
3 Notes and references
4 External links

[edit] History

During the Darfur conflict, which began in the early 21st century, the town experienced significant insecurity. While government-controlled, the ethnic groups of the inhabitants are associated with the rebel groups. The area northeast of town is largely controlled by the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement, while 'Arab' militias such as the janjaweed are to the south and west. Two camps for internally displaced persons, Fatta Borno and Kassab, formed near the town.^[2]

North Darfur shares the history of Darfur.

[edit] See also

Kurdufan - adjacent region.

[edit] Notes and references

^ There are discrepancies as to the reported geographical coordinates of Kutum. Multimap.com reports the coordinates as Lat: 13:26:20N, Lon: 24:15:16E , while FallingGrain.com reports them as 14° 11' 60N, 24° 40' 0E. This may perhaps be the result of Kutum being the name of a wadi, as well as the Kutum volcanic field.
^ ^a ^b SUDAN: Tension still high in Kutum town, Integrated Regional Information Networks, 20 February 2006