Nyala, the capital of South Darfur State, witnessed two separate kidnapping incidents targeting pharmacists, both carried out by armed men demanding ransom for their release.
Eyewitnesses and local sources told Darfur24 that a heavily armed group in a combat vehicle abducted pharmacist Dr. Khalid Sheikh al-Din, owner of “Kanz al-Dawa” and “Al-Razi” pharmacies.
A fellow pharmacist, who asked to be identified only as “Um Wafa” for security reasons, said the abduction took place in the middle of the city’s market. The kidnappers then took him to an unknown location.
“Later, the kidnappers contacted his family through social media, demanding a ransom of 200 million Sudanese pounds,” she said.
She added that leaders of the tribal administration to which the victim belongs intervened, urging the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) administration to search for and release him without payment.
A source close to the family of another abducted pharmacist, Dr. Abdel-Sami’ Adam Ahmed Daldoum — an employee at Tabuk Pharmaceuticals and owner of “Al-Sayadilah” pharmacy — said his whereabouts remain unknown since his kidnapping last Thursday. According to witnesses, he has not been found, despite a formal complaint being lodged with Nyala Central Police.
In a related development, a recently released kidnapping victim revealed the extortion tactics used by armed groups allied with the RSF. He said the abductors force victims to contact their families and request the ransom be transferred to a bank account before releasing them in a remote area.
The man, who withheld his name for security reasons, said he was taken to Jabal Saqra, northeast of Nyala, where he was tortured before being made to call his family to arrange the ransom payment.
