Three employees of the international GOAL organisation, and 14 of the Sudanese organisation Sustainable Action Group (SAG) were abducted in Kutum, North Darfur, on Wednesday. Speaking to Radio Dabanga, multiple sources said that three people working at the Irish-based aid organisation, including the country director, and 14 of SAG organisation, among them the head of the Kutum branch and an engineer, were kidnapped in Kutum town on Wednesday morning. “Militiamen in three Land Cruisers stopped the GOAL country director and two staff members who were on their way to Kutum airport at about 11am on Wednesday. They pulled them from their vehicle at gunpoint and took them to an unknown destination,” an eyewitness said. At about the same time, gunmen in Land Cruisers abducted 14 employees of the Sudanese SAG organisation, in the area of Um Lyon in Kutum locality, witnesses reported. “12 of them plus two SAG vehicles were released after lengthy negotiations. It was agreed that SAK would pay SDG50,000 per vehicle. The kidnappers then left, with the SAK North Darfur branch head and a local engineer, towards the nomadic village of Masree.” The sources noted that the phenomenon of abductions has increased in North Darfur. “It has become the latest criminal trick to earn a lot of money.” File photo Related:El Salam camp abductees released in South Darfur (17 June 2014) Kidnappers release boy without ransom in El Fasher (23 May 2014)Three men abducted, militiamen have ‘new weapons’ in North Darfur (20 May 2014)North Darfur families call for release abducted relatives (29 April 2014)Man abducted in El Fasher, North Darfur (20 March 2014) North Darfur Imam released for ransom (20 February 2014)