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Sudan Gunmen Kidnap Two German Aid Workers in Darfur

23 June 2010 20:20 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Gunmen in Sudanâ€™s western region of Darfur kidnapped two German aid workers and their Sudanese security guard yesterday, a United Nations spokesman said, APA reports quoting â€œBusiness Weekâ€.
The aid workers are employed by Technisches Hilfswerk, a German non-governmental organization, Kemal Saiki, the director of communications for the UN-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur, said by phone today from the forceâ€™s headquarters in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.
The kidnapping was carried out by seven gunmen wearing civilian clothes between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time in Nyala, capital of South Darfur state, Saiki said. The driver was released soon after the abduction, he said.
â€œWe donâ€™t know who these people are or what are their motives,â€ Saiki said.
Darfur has been the scene of conflict between the government and rebel groups since 2003. As many as 300,000 people have died, mainly due to illness and starvation, according to UN estimates. Sudanese President Umar al-Bashirâ€™s government puts the death toll at about 10,000.