2000 Jarafa mosque massacre
Encyclopedia
The 2000 Jarafa mosque massacre was an attack on members of Ansar al-Sunna praying at a mosque
in Jarafa, a village in the outskirts of Omdurman
, Sudan
on December 8, 2000. A lone gunman, Abbas al-Baqir Abbas ( عباس الباقر عباس ), a member of Takfir wal-Hijra
, opened fire with a Kalashnikov
assault rifle
during evening prayers, killing at least 22 people and injuring more than 30 others, before he was shot dead by police.
Another 33 were wounded in the attack, among them a police officer. At least two of the injured later died of their wounds.
Although, according to police, Abbas acted alone, witnesses stated that shots were fired from three directions and that there had been at least three attackers dressed in jellabiya
s, all but one fleeing, before police arrived. Also there were reports that not only worshippers at the mosque were attacked, but that the gunman had rampaged through the village, killing at least two boys.
Various higher death tolls were reported, ranging from 23 and 24 up to 27 people killed and 49 wounded.
is a Muslim extremist group, originating in Egypt
, that had a history of differences with the pacifist Ansar al-Sunna. While the former believes the Sharia
should be implemented by force, the latter does not. This conflict has resulted in similar incidents previously.
On February 4, 1994 three assailants, Mohammed Abdullah al-Khilaifi, a Libyan Islamist, along with two Sudanese, attacked a mosque of Ansar al-Sunna in Al Thawra with assault rifles, killing 19 people and injuring 15. al-Khilaifi was later sentenced to death and executed on September 19, 1994.
On January 1, 1996 eight assailants and a police officer were killed in a fight between members of the group and police in Kambo Ashara, when they tried to force villagers to convert.
An attack on the same mosque in Jarafa in 1996 left 12 people dead.
On November 1, 1997 two members of Takfir wal-Hijra attacked people leaving a mosque in Arkawit
with knives, killing two and wounding a further ten.
. It was reported that his mother had left their home due to his religious fanaticism
and he beat his sister, accusing her of infidelity. He studied economics at Tripoli University, but was forced to leave Libya
, because of leading Islamist groups and thus threatening security. He was a former member of the Popular Defense Forces, fighting rebels in the southern part of Sudan.
Initially being a member of Ansar al-Sunna, Abbas left due to religious differences and joined Takfir wal-Hijra. It was said he had repeatedly threatened members of Ansar al-Sunna with an attack similar to the one in 1994. Because of these threats he was arrested in 1998 for four months, and again a few months prior to the shooting, along with 20 other people suspected of being members of Takfir wal-Hijra, though, repenting and claiming to have abandoned the group and its ideas, he was released.
visited the mosque paying his condolences to relatives of the victims and assured that a legislation would be passed to control fanatical religious groups, vowing "to rectify laws in order to protect society from destructive and harmful ideas.".
In the wake of the massacre police and security forces were deployed in Khartoum State in a large scale inspection campaign to prevent further violence, leading to the arresting of 65 leading members of Takfir wal-Hijra
and security laws were tightened, allowing law enforcement to detain suspects for up to six months.
The amendments were criticised by opposition parties for curtailing liberties and they accused President Bashir of abusing the incident to increase his power.
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in Jarafa, a village in the outskirts of Omdurman
Omdurman
Omdurman is the second largest city in Sudan and Khartoum State, lying on the western banks of the River Nile, opposite the capital, Khartoum. Omdurman has a population of 2,395,159 and is the national centre of commerce...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
on December 8, 2000. A lone gunman, Abbas al-Baqir Abbas ( عباس الباقر عباس ), a member of Takfir wal-Hijra
Takfir wal-Hijra
Jama'at al-Muslimin , popularly known as Takfir wal-Hijra , was a radical Islamist group led by Shukri Mustafa, which emerged in Egypt in the 1960s as an offshoot of Muslim Brotherhood, inspired by Sayyid Qutb.The group was...
, opened fire with a Kalashnikov
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
assault rifle
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
during evening prayers, killing at least 22 people and injuring more than 30 others, before he was shot dead by police.
Shooting
During evening prayers, at about 9 p.m., 33-year-old Abbas al-Baqir Abbas, using a Kalashnikov assault rifle, began shooting through a window at the people in the al-Sunna al-Mohammediyya Mosque in Jarafa, instantly killing 20 worshippers. According to witnesses he avoided to target the women's section of the mosque and reassured a fleeing woman that he would only shoot males. When he refused to surrender Abbas was killed after a brief shootout with police.Another 33 were wounded in the attack, among them a police officer. At least two of the injured later died of their wounds.
Although, according to police, Abbas acted alone, witnesses stated that shots were fired from three directions and that there had been at least three attackers dressed in jellabiya
Jellabiya
The Jellabiya or Jelabiya in Egypt, "Jelebeeya" in Ethiopia and "Jehllubeeya" in Eritrea) is a traditional Egyptian garment native to the Egypt and the Sudan Nile valley....
s, all but one fleeing, before police arrived. Also there were reports that not only worshippers at the mosque were attacked, but that the gunman had rampaged through the village, killing at least two boys.
Various higher death tolls were reported, ranging from 23 and 24 up to 27 people killed and 49 wounded.
Takfir wal-Hijra
Takfir wal-HijraTakfir wal-Hijra
Jama'at al-Muslimin , popularly known as Takfir wal-Hijra , was a radical Islamist group led by Shukri Mustafa, which emerged in Egypt in the 1960s as an offshoot of Muslim Brotherhood, inspired by Sayyid Qutb.The group was...
is a Muslim extremist group, originating in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, that had a history of differences with the pacifist Ansar al-Sunna. While the former believes the Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
should be implemented by force, the latter does not. This conflict has resulted in similar incidents previously.
On February 4, 1994 three assailants, Mohammed Abdullah al-Khilaifi, a Libyan Islamist, along with two Sudanese, attacked a mosque of Ansar al-Sunna in Al Thawra with assault rifles, killing 19 people and injuring 15. al-Khilaifi was later sentenced to death and executed on September 19, 1994.
On January 1, 1996 eight assailants and a police officer were killed in a fight between members of the group and police in Kambo Ashara, when they tried to force villagers to convert.
An attack on the same mosque in Jarafa in 1996 left 12 people dead.
On November 1, 1997 two members of Takfir wal-Hijra attacked people leaving a mosque in Arkawit
Wad Madani
Wad Madani is the capital of the Al Jazirah state in east-central Sudan.Wad Madani lies on the west bank of the Blue Nile, nearly 85 miles southeast of Khartoum....
with knives, killing two and wounding a further ten.
Abbas al-Baqir Abbas
Abbas al-Baqir Abbas was from of Al-Dasis in the northern part of Al JazirahAl Jazirah (state)
Al Jazirah , also spelled Gezira, is one of the 15 states of Sudan. The state lies between the Blue Nile and the White Nile in the east-central region of the country. It has an area of 27,549 km². The name comes from the Arabic word for peninsula. Wad Madani is the capital of the state.It is...
. It was reported that his mother had left their home due to his religious fanaticism
Religious fanaticism
Religious fanaticism is fanaticism related to a person's, or a group's, devotion to a religion. However, religious fanaticism is a subjective evaluation defined by the culture context that is performing the evaluation. What constitutes fanaticism in another's behavior or belief is determined by the...
and he beat his sister, accusing her of infidelity. He studied economics at Tripoli University, but was forced to leave Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, because of leading Islamist groups and thus threatening security. He was a former member of the Popular Defense Forces, fighting rebels in the southern part of Sudan.
Initially being a member of Ansar al-Sunna, Abbas left due to religious differences and joined Takfir wal-Hijra. It was said he had repeatedly threatened members of Ansar al-Sunna with an attack similar to the one in 1994. Because of these threats he was arrested in 1998 for four months, and again a few months prior to the shooting, along with 20 other people suspected of being members of Takfir wal-Hijra, though, repenting and claiming to have abandoned the group and its ideas, he was released.
Aftermath
The following day, President Omar al-BashirOmar al-Bashir
Lieutenant General Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir is the current President of Sudan and the head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister...
visited the mosque paying his condolences to relatives of the victims and assured that a legislation would be passed to control fanatical religious groups, vowing "to rectify laws in order to protect society from destructive and harmful ideas.".
In the wake of the massacre police and security forces were deployed in Khartoum State in a large scale inspection campaign to prevent further violence, leading to the arresting of 65 leading members of Takfir wal-Hijra
Takfir wal-Hijra
Jama'at al-Muslimin , popularly known as Takfir wal-Hijra , was a radical Islamist group led by Shukri Mustafa, which emerged in Egypt in the 1960s as an offshoot of Muslim Brotherhood, inspired by Sayyid Qutb.The group was...
and security laws were tightened, allowing law enforcement to detain suspects for up to six months.
The amendments were criticised by opposition parties for curtailing liberties and they accused President Bashir of abusing the incident to increase his power.
External links
- Gunman kills twenty in mosque massacre, The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
(December 9, 2000) - Gunman kills 20 at mosque near Sudanese capital, The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
(December 9, 2000) - Mosque shooting incident leaves 20 dead