Some 87 children kidnapped by Darfur armed group return home

By Al-Ra’y al-Amm daily newspaper

KHARTOUM, Jan 24, 2004 — The day before yesterday [22 January], Al-Fashir city [capital city of Northern Darfur] received, 87 children who were returning to town after they escaped from some areas where they were kidnapped by armed groups from Northern Darfur.

Meanwhile, the UN high commissioner announced that around 15,000 Sudanese refugees had arrived in Chad a week ago. He warned of the dangerous living conditions if there was no swift response from [humanitarian] organizations.

The children returning to Al-Fashir informed SMC [Sudanese Media Centre] that they were kidnapped earlier from different areas of the [Northern Darfur] State when gangs were attacking civilian areas in Abu-Qumrah, Melit and Tine [all in Northern Darfur].

The children returning said that they were detained in unpleasant living conditions and were exposed to beatings, torture and hard labour. Pointing out that those who tried to escape where killed or eliminated.

BBC Monitoring Middle East