Sudan army colonel slain in botched South Darfur robbery

Police in the South Darfur capital Nyala have launched a major investigation after Col Abdelazim Eisa Mustafa was shot dead yesterday when, according to initial reports, a gang of gunmen attempted to rob him of his vehicle.

The 16th Infantry Division of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Nyala eulogised the victim in an announcement of his death (see main picture). In a statement via the official Sudan News Agency (SUNA), the division confirmed that the senior army officer was killed by as yet unidentified gunmen near to his home in the Abdelrahman neighbourhood in Nyala.

The press office of the South Darfur state police report that Col Mustafa was moving from his home to his workplace on Sunday, when he was accosted by four gunmen in a Land Cruiser.

The gunmen intercepted the colonel, and attempted to stop him to steal the vehicle he was driving. The colonel reportedly resisted his attackers, in spite of initially being shot in the left hand. The perpetrators fled after the failed attempt to seize the vehicle, but Mustafa succumbed to his wounds later, the statement says.

The South Darfur police pledged to pursue the criminals, who often exploit unlicensed (popularly known as Boko Haram) vehicles, which are an ongoing security threat, and that the state police will work closely with other regular forces to achieve security and stability.