Am Dafok, also spelt Am Dafock, is a Sub-Prefecture and town in the Vakaga prefecture of

Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to Central African Republic–Chad border, the north, Sudan to Central African Republic–Sudan border, the northeast, South Sudan to Central ...

(CAR). The town sits on the CAR side of the

border Borders are generally defined as geography, geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by polity, political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other administrative divisio ...

with

Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...

; on the Sudanese side of the border lies Um Dafuq in the state of

South Darfur South Darfur State ( Wilāyat Ǧanūb Dārfūr; Janob Darfor) is one of the States of Sudan, wilayat or states of Sudan. It is one of the five states that compose the Darfur, region of Darfur in western Sudan. Overview Prior to the creation of t ...

. According to the 2003 census, Am Dafok has a population of 2,915, however, as of 2023, the village is home to thousands of refugees fleeing from the Central African Republic Civil War and the Sudan conflict.

History

In 1962, Am Dafok had a population of 338 people. Following the independence of

South Sudan South Sudan (), officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the north by Sudan; on the east by Ethiopia; on the south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya; and on the ...

in 2011, the road that passes through Am Dafok became the only remaining

CAR A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are around one billio ...

–

border crossing.

Conflict

Vakaga Prefecture, where Am Dafok is located, has seen significant fighting as part of the Central African Republic Civil War. Forces for the Unification of the Central African Republic (FURCA) rebels attacked Am Dafok on 29 September 2008, looting the town. During the attack, the residents fled to the bush. After ransacking the town, FURCA retreated. On 14 October 2019 Am Dafok was captured by the Movement of Central African Liberators for Justice (MLCJ). On 16 December it was recaptured by the Popular Front for the Rebirth of Central African Republic (FPRC). Armed

Misseriya The Messiria (), also known as Misseriya Arabs, are a branch of the Baggara ethnic grouping of Arab tribes.Adam, Biraima M. (2012)''Baggara of Sudan: Culture and Environment'' Amazon online Books. Their language is primarily Sudanese Arabic, wh ...

elements have a strong presence in Am Dafok. According to a 2021 report from the

United Nations Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...

(UNSC), Misseriya forces engage in illegal taxation in Am Dafok. On 3 February 2021, Misseriya forces attacked a humanitarian convoy in Am Dafok. Around that time, a MINUSCA field mission found Misseriya forces had grown their control along the border with Sudan. Near to Am Dafok, and close to the Sudanese border, armed Misseriya elements attacked a patrol by the national defence forces on 16 April. The attack, in nearby Am-Sissia, killed three people and injured four others. On 12 May, soldiers from the national defense forces stationed in Am Dafok left for Birao, following persistent threats from local militias. That evening, their convoy was ambushed in an attack that injured two people. A UNSC presumed the attack was conducted by armed Misseriya elements near Dongore. In the weeks following the outbreak of the 2023 Sudan conflict, nearly 10,000 people fled from Sudan into Am Dafok.

Geography

The small settlement is located within the border of the African Grassland and the

Sahara Desert The Sahara (, ) is a desert spanning across North Africa. With an area of , it is the largest hot desert in the world and the list of deserts by area, third-largest desert overall, smaller only than the deserts of Antarctica and the northern Ar ...

and is in a Sub-Tropic zone of the continent. Am Dafok lies in a

flood A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant con ...

-prone area, and experiences

rainy season The rainy season is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Rainy Season may also refer to: * ''Rainy Season'' (short story), a 1989 short horror story by Stephen King * "Rainy Season", a 2018 song by Monni * '' ...

during summer months. Central African Republic - Vakaga

Education

There are two schools in the village. One of the schools was burned during the civil war.

Healthcare

Am Dafok has one health center.

References

Populated places in Vakaga Central African Republic–Sudan border crossings {{CentralAfricanRepublic-geo-stub