KHARTOUM, March 26 (RIA Novosti) - A group of unidentified armed men took to an unknown location more than 30 displaced persons heading to a conference in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region, Sudanese media and officials said on Monday.
Governor of Central Darfur Yousef Tibin told the Sudanese information center that they were abducted.
“Representatives of refugees from Darfur - eight women and 23 men - were abducted on their way from the town of Zalingei [in Central Darfur] to Nyala, while being transported by buses under the escort of UNAMID peacekeepers,” Tibin said.
Tibin suggested that the abduction was carried out by rebels attempting to disrupt the conference, aimed at finding ways to rebuild Darfur and return displaced persons to their homes.
However, Radio Dabanga, a shortwave station in Darfur, said members of the delegation “have been arrested by a group dressed in official military uniforms” on Sunday afternoon.
The radio reported that the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) confirmed the incident. According to UNAMID, a group of armed men took the refugees to an unknown location, despite the peacekeepers' “opposition.” No further details were provided.
Darfur has seen armed clashes between Sudan’s government and rebels since 2003. According to the UN, some 300,000 people have died in the conflict. The Sudanese government says a few thousand have been killed.
