Fourteen displaced kidnapped by South Darfur militiamen

A number of displaced people from a camp in Gireida locality, South Darfur, were kidnapped during a shooting in the camp on Thursday morning.

The abductors, members of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, arrived in Foreka camp in five vehicles at 9am. They drove to a water pump and opened fire into the air, scaring the displaced people gathered there.

Witnesses said that the perpetrators abducted 14 people by force of arms to their headquarters in the area of Shanga, 5 kilometres south of Gireida.

The kidnap comes against the backdrop of militia members who demanded the displaced community to pay SDG10,000 ($1,630) to them before Wednesday evening.

Earlier this week, SDG1,500 ($244) had to be paid for damage to the crops on a farm by Sheikh Adamo Mertega, who is reportedly still wanted by the militia members. On Monday, the militiamen abducted a butcher.

The displaced people speaking to Radio Dabanga on Thursday called on the locality commissioner, the state government, and the African Union/United Nations Mission in Darfur (Unamid) to intervene and enforce the release of the kidnapped camp residents.