3 gold prospectors shot near Kutum

Citizens describe worrying security conditions in the cityThree (3) gold prospectors were shot and killed in the neighborhood of Kutum (North Darfur) on Saturday. They were driving approximately half an hour away from the city when gunmen suddenly opened fire. According to the only prospector who survived, he and his colleagues were heading to mountains north of the city in search for gold when they were ambushed by gunmen on motorcycles. His three colleagues were killed; the driver’s hands were injured. The ambushers took 700,000 pounds (about 262,000 USD) from the dead. The survivor went back to the city to report the incident to the police while the driver sought treatment in the hospital. The names of the dead are Abdul Baki Ibrahim Safi, Mohammad Yousuf (both from Kordofan) and Mohamed Ibrahim from Hummaida, in the region of Kabkabiya. According to the witness, the police did not react before Sunday. A similar incident happened Thursday when seven Gunmen opened fire on more than 15 people who were working in the gold-mining fields. The shooting resulted in 3 dead and 8 injured. According to witnesses, the incident had happened very close to the police station, but no help came from the authorities. Witnesses describe the current security situation in Kutum as uncertain. “There is a proliferation of weapons used by groups in civilian clothes. We have asked the local authorities to provide security and disarm them,” Radio Dabanga was told.