Robbery, hijacking, pillaging in North, Central Darfur

Gunmen hijacked two commercial vehicles in Saraf Umra locality, North Darfur, on Monday. In Central Darfur, militiamen pillaged three shops at the Nierteti market on Tuesday.   “A group of armed robbers intercepted two commercial Land Cruisers in the area of Jebel Khoran on Monday evening,” one of the passengers told Radio Dabanga. “We were on our way back from El Sareif to Saraf Umra when the assailants, believed to be Abbala tribesmen, stopped us at gunpoint. They beat us with their whips and rifles, and robbed us of all our money and luggage. They then fled, taking the two vehicles and one of the drivers with them.” The passenger added that the robbery occurred 48 hours after the commissioner of Saraf Umra locality had announced the reopening of the Saraf Umra-El Sareif road, and the “removal of the militia toll gates”. On Tuesday evening, a group of “government-backed militiamen” plundered three shops at the Nierteti market. “They stole SDG 7,000 ($1,220) and all the merchandise”, a shop owner told Radio Dabanga. “They left, firing bullets in the air.” The incident was reported to the police of Nierteti. File photo