Two West Darfur teachers raped at gunpoint

Two men have been arrested after a group of armed herders entered a school in West Darfur and repeatedly raped two teachers.

Journalist Alaeldin Babikir told Radio Dabanga that at 12 pm on Tuesday, three young herders allegedly stormed the hostel of El Addar School, about ten kilometres north of the West Darfur capital El Geneina.

The gunmen seized two of the teachers, dragged them to a piece of open ground, and repeatedly raped them.

Babikir reports that the attack was reported to El Geneina police, after which a team of local residents and police went in search of the perpetrators. Two suspects were arrested at one of the settlements northeast of El Addar, while a third suspect fled.

He said that there is a strong feeling of outrage among residents of El Geneina, who strongly condemn and denounce the incident, and demanded tough penalties for the offenders.

100 complaints

As reported earlier this week by Radio Dabanga, the Public Prosecutor for Darfur says that a total of 100 complaints of rape of women and children in the region were filed last year, of which 15 have gone to trial.

Counsellor Mohamed Tayfour also announced that two soldiers charged with rape of children in Darfur have been sentenced to death by hanging.

Counsellor Tayfur said that of the 100 complaints of rape of women and children in Darfur over the past year, 11 have been adjudicated according to the Child Rights Act.