13 dead or injured in South Darfur highway robberies

Two separate attacks by gunmen on four commercial vehicles south of Gireida in South Darfur on Tuesday have left at least 13 people, including a policeman, dead or injured.

Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that about 20 armed men on camels opened fire on three commercial vehicles which were heading towards Gireida. The passengers had been shopping at Abshi market

Ismael Abdallah Abu Ezzo was killed on the spot and 10 others were wounded. Callers reported that three of them are in serious condition, and have been transferred to hospital in the state capital of Nyala.

Witnesses said that the gunmen forced the passengers from the vehicles and made them lie on the ground at gunpoint. The attackers then beat them with rifle butts and whips, robbed them of the money and mobile phones in their possession, loaded the goods into the three vehicles and onto their camels and fled.

In a similar armed highway robbery in Tullus, gunmen opened fire on a commercial vehicle at the Hashaba area while it was returning from Serageila market to Gireida after shopping.

Khlas Ibrahim and Mohamed Adam Ali were injured and taken to Gireida hospital for treatment.

The incidents have been reported to the police but no suspects have been apprehended thus far.