New abduction of aid workers at border Chad and Darfur

EL GENEINA (6 August) – One Chadian and one international staff member of Medecins sans Frontieres-Holland were abducted Monday night (3 August) from the Chadian border town of Ade, 120 kilometres southwest of El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur. It is the fifth kidnapping since the indictment of the Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir by the International Criminal Court.  Two international workers of Goal are being held by kidnappers since the 3rd of June with their whereabouts still unknown. Last week the UN announced that the situation in Darfur was improving.

One year ago MSF Switzerland was subject to similar robberies by Janjaweed from Darfur. After the attacks they abandoned their aid work in the area. MSF Holland does not want to release the nationality of the disappeared international staff worker, but ensures that it is not a Dutchman. The German MSF is involved in negotiations concerning the release of the staff. MSF works in Ade amongst Darfurian refugees especially in a project concerning sanitation and clean water. According to the local correspondent of Radio Dabanga, some armed men entered Monday night the compound where the two aid workers are living. They stole three computers and took some money. Apparently it was they who kidnapped the two staff workers. Ade is in the homeland of the Masalit, which frequently has been targeted by armed Arab tribes. The new abduction started while the kidnapping of two Goal aid workers is still continuing. They disappeared from Kutum area in North Darfur. Negotiations are continuing to try and secure the release of these two aid workers. A ransom has been requested but the negotiations continue. They were kidnapped on the 3rd of July, 100 kilometres from El Fasher. The two women, one from Uganda and another from Ireland, were working when disappeared to a location unknown to the Government of Sudan. In that case, some militias related to the government (‘Eagles of Bashir’) were involved. The Government of Sudan denies any involvements and talks about ‘highway robbers’.