Darfur rebels abduct two Chinese engineers: Sudanese government

KHARTOUM, March 16, 2004 (Sudan Tribune) — The Sudanese government has accused the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) of abducting two Chinese engineers working in drilling water wells in the region.

The two were abducted in Buram town in southern Darfur state, which had been attacked by the rebels three days ago.

A spokesman from the rebel SLM said they had attacked Sudanese military bases in Buram, about 900 km southwest of Khartoum, on Saturday 13 March evening.

State Minister Najeib El-Kheir said Sudan would spare no efforts to secure the release of the two, captured Saturday from the Buram area of south Darfur province, 950 kilometers (590 miles) southwest of Khartoum, the capital.

“We denounce and condemn in the strongest possible terms this abduction against persons working on a developmental project,” El-Kheir said in a statement.

He said the abductors did not make any political demands but called for direct talks with the Chinese company, which is drilling water wells.

He said the Chinese charge d’affaires had been informed of the abductions.

A local government official told a Khartoum newspaper the rebels killed two policemen and injured three other security force members in an attack on a police post in Buram on Saturday.