Two killed in Darfur ‘payroll robberies’

Gunmen shot an accountant dead in Nyala, capital of South Darfur, today. In the East Darfur capital of Ed Daein, a robber was killed and another wounded by policemen on Sunday.

Taha Abdallah Hamid, Commissioner of Nyala locality, told the press in the South Darfur capital that three unidentified gunmen attacked Ezzeldin Saadelnabi in Nyala on Monday morning.

Saadelnabi, an accountant working at the Wad Hijam Unit in El Radoum locality, had just received the salaries for the unit’s employees.

The attackers attempted to steal the money from the accountant. When he resisted they shot him dead. They were not able to take the money and fled in a vehicle without a number plate, the commissioner said.

In Ed Daein, four gunmen driving a Land Cruiser intercepted a vehicle of the state health insurance. The car was transporting the salaries of East Darfur employees amounting to SDG350,000 ($57,200), a witness reported to Radio Dabanga.

One of the guards shot at the attackers. One was killed instantly, another one was injured.

The source said that the gunmen later returned with others. “They stormed Ed Daein Hospital, took the body of their colleague with them at gunpoint, and fled the city.”

The Deputy Governor of East Darfur, Maj. Gen. Mohamed El Hassan Beirek, pledged that the authorities “would hunt down the perpetrators wherever they are”.