Three UN cars reportedly hijacked in Darfur

June 2, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — Three vehicles belonging to a UN agency have been hijacked in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, the Sudan Media Center (SMC) reported on Saturday.

The vehicles were hijacked by a group of unknown gunmen near Fashir, the capital of North Darfur State, but the persons in the vehicles have been released after being abducted for four hours, according to SMC.

The three vehicles were among a convoy of 6 cars which was carrying out a survey of local citizens’ requirements when the abduction took place at UM Kidaibo area, some 40 km from Fashir

Ten gunmen attacked the convoy, kidnapped 25 persons in the six cars and captured their personal properties including Thuriyya mobile phones, said the report.

Local official sources were quoted as saying that the UN staff were released after four hours and all of them were in good health conditions.

In recent months, staff persons of UN and African organizations in Darfur have been repeatedly attacked by unknown militants, who at most cases robbed vehicles, equipments and properties without causing human casualties.

On May 25, a group of gunmen broke into a residing house of some UN military experts in Fashir, killing an Egyptian officer and robbed money from other persons in the same building.

(Xinhua)