Darfur traders denounce large amounts of militia toll gates

Owners of commercial trucks of three localities in Central and South Darfur are complaining about the large amounts of toll gates established by militias on local roads.Militants demand traders to pay them between 10 and 50 Sudanese pounds ($2.25 and $11) at each gate they may cross. If commuters fail to disburse the amounts, insurgents are said to “severely lash, beat and insult” them.Radio Dabanga spoke to traders from Nertiti and Zalingei localities in Central Darfur, and from neighboring Kass locality in South Darfur.According to them, militias established 14 toll gates between Thur and Nertiti, which are located 10 kilomteres from each other.In addition, there are 27 stations between Kass and Zalingei; 15 on the Nertiti -Zalingei road; and 12 on the Kass –Thur section.Traders are calling upon authorities to intervene immediately and put an end to militias-imposed toll gates. BusinessmanMeanwhile, a businessman who was allegedly abducted by pro-government militias about 15 days ago inside his house is still missing, a relative said. The captors of Abbekar Yusuf, known as “Thur’s greatest businessman”, had originally asked his family to pay a ransom of 150,000 SDG ($340,000) for his release. However, the relative disclosed that the kidnappers dropped the amount to 50,000 SDG ($11,300) on Monday.File photo by Albert Gonzalez Farran/ UNAMIDRelated: Gunmen abduct ‘town’s greatest merchant’ in Central Darfur (9 April 2013)