Salamat tribesmen held captive in Darfur for 4 days

At least four out of the eight Salamat leaders abducted in Umm Dukhun, Central Darfur, on Monday are still held captive by Misseriya tribesmen, sources say.   They were kidnapped on Monday at the house of Salamat deputy Haj Osman Mohamed Adam Al Dwaid who has been released in the meantime. Witnesses claim they know who abducted the men, who are being kept inside a house in Umm Dukhun city. The four remaining hostages are: Omda Al Tijani Mohamed Adam, known as Kanjom; Omda Al Tahir Bahr; Abubakar Mohamed Al Helo; and Abdelkarim Abdel Shakoor. Helo is an NCP political authority in Umm Dukhun locality, and Adam and Bahr are native administrators in the areas of Mugad and Abugaradil respectively. On Monday, militants had invaded the house of the Salamat deputy and abducted eight people, including him. That was the second attack he suffered in one week and his house was reportedly destroyed. Sources say Umm Dukhun is still under “the rule of chaos”, with frequent lootings being reported in the town. The kidnapping of the Salamat leaders, they say, presents another threat to a possible reconciliation between the Salamat and Misseriya tribes. Tensions in the town erupted on 3 April when a Misseriya tribesman allegedly tried looting and opening fire on a Salamat man, who was not hurt. Violent hostilities broke out the next day when 4,000 men of both sides began battling each other. In the meantime, fighting has spread north and to South Darfur. UNHCR says 50,000 have sought refuge in neighboring Chad as a result of the clashes.Map: Umm Dukhun, Central Darfur (OCHA- cropped)Related: Misseriya release Salamat deputy in Central Darfur (30 April 2013)