Central Darfur bandits rob shoppers, one wounded

Gunmen attacked a group of people east of Nierteti in Central Darfur on Thursday. Several sustained injuries.

The attackers, riding on horses and camels, attacked the people as they were on their way from Jebel Marra to shop in Nierteti. The victims were stripped off their clothes, one of the family members told Radio Dabanga, before being beaten.

One of them, Abdelrahman Abdelshava, was seriously wounded. The bandits took off with money, mobile phones, goods, and five donkeys.

The incident has been reported to the Nierteti police department, the family member said.

Massacre

Nierteti was the scene of an attack on civilians led by Sudanese soldiers on 31 December last year, a day after a soldier was found dead near the town. Two school students were killed by stray bullets and many people were injured. Policemen who tried to protect the people were also wounded. In the ensuing insecurity raids and robberies by armed groups took place in Nierteti market and the Northern Camp for the displaced.

Central Darfur state has already financially compensated the victims of the attacks – with 'blood money' – before the conclusion of the investigation, identification of any perpetrators or filing of a lawsuit. The Sudanese Minister of Defence considered the soldiers' attack to be “a criminal case”, a statement which political analysts found an attempt “to transfer the responsibility of the armed forces to the police”.