North Darfur’s Kutum market closed in protest against continuing insecurity

The shopkeepers of Kutum market have closed their doors last week, in protest against repeated robberies and the kidnapping of traders for ransom. On Friday, three displaced of Fata Borno camp in Kutum locality were assaulted by militiamen.

The merchants of Kutum market embarked on an open-ended strike on Thursday, in protest against the continuing insecurity in the area.

A listener told Radio Dabanga from Kutum town that only the fruits and vegetables market remained open. “The traders said that they will only lift the strike after merchant Abdallah Mustafa Abdallah, who was abducted for ransom early last week, has been released, and the market will be guarded, and protected against future attacks.”

Memorandum

He reported that the notables of Kutum submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner and the administrative director of Kutum locality last Wednesday, denouncing the absence of the police, prosecutors, and judges since more than three years.

“In the memo, the notables demand the safe return of merchant Abdallah, the guarding of the markets and the various institutions, the banning of turbans covering the face and the use of motorcycles inside the town. In addition, they called for the removal of the militia toll gates between Kutum and El Fasher, capital of North Darfur.

Fata Borno

On Friday, a group of gunmen wearing military uniforms ambushed Fata Borno camp residents Adam Abdelkareem Adam, Adam Mohamed Adam, and Mohamed Adam Jaafar,” a camp activist reported to Radio Dabanga.

“They were returning from Kutum town to the camp, when those Janjaweed intercepted them, and beat them severely,” she said. “They then robbed them of their mobile phones at gunpoint.”