Several travelers coming from the Northern State to Darfur were subjected to armed robbery operations carried out by the Rapid Support Forces militia, which opened fire on their vehicle on the road linking Darfur and Kordofan on Sunday with the intent of looting.
Mohamed Adam, one of the victims, told Darfur24 that an armed group stopped a passenger vehicle traveling from the town of Umm Badr in North Kordofan State, carrying passengers coming from Atbara city in River Nile State and heading to the town of Khazan Jadid.
He added that they were beaten and tortured, and that all their belongings were looted, including money, mobile phones, and clothes, in addition to entrusted items belonging to others that they were carrying.
He stated that several travelers suffered serious injuries, including Ahmed Abdullah Al-Rashid, Hussein Adam Ali, and Saber Ahmed Taher. He added: “I sustained minor injuries, but I am still suffering. I also lost my phone, some money, and clothing.”
For his part, Mustafa Ibrahim, a driver operating between Darfur and the Northern State, told Darfur24 that the road has become extremely dangerous, noting that groups allied with the Rapid Support Forces intercept vehicles to prevent passengers from leaving Darfur toward areas controlled by the Sudanese army.
He explained that they are forced to take long routes to avoid the areas of Umm Badr, Abu Zuaima, and Hamrat Al-Sheikh on their way to Al-Dabba. However, vehicles are sometimes intercepted in the desert and looted. He added: “Over the past two months, there have been dozens of incidents, including more than one case of killings and injuries among passengers as a result of gunfire used to force vehicles to stop.”
He called for ensuring freedom of movement, addressing the phenomenon of armed robbery and illegal checkpoints, and stopping armed groups that exploit the state of chaos to target travelers and loot their belongings.
