Nyala, November 02 (Darfur24)
An armed force kidnapped five elders of the Asanqur tribe in Nyala, South Darfur State, after they took part in a protest demanding information about the fate of a trader and his wife who were abducted from their home, a tribal leader said on Monday.
Last Thursday, dozens of Asanqur tribe members staged a protest outside the judiciary headquarters in Nyala, demanding information about the whereabouts of Mohammed Abdullah Mahmoud Abu Qarjah and his wife, who were abducted from their home in one of the city’s neighborhoods.
In a statement seen by Darfur24, the King of the Asanqur tribe, Ibrahim Adam Tabak, said the armed force had abducted five people: Mahmoud Abdullah Mahmoud, director of Al-Miraj Private Schools; Ibrahim Mohammed Yaqoub; Younis Adam Malik; Prince Ibrahim Siddiq; and Prince Yahya. They were taken to an unknown location, he said.
The statement accused several individuals from another tribe of directing the abductions, naming Bashir Yahya, Ibrahim Hamdan and Al-Nour Hassan Abbas.
The tribe called on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to investigate the incident, disclose the whereabouts of those abducted, secure their release and ensure justice. It also urged the force to protect civilians in areas under its control.
Babiker Siddiq, an Asanqur tribesman in Nyala, separately told Darfur24 that an armed force had abducted members of the committee following up on the case of Abu Qarjah and his wife, as well as members of a mediation committee. Their whereabouts remain unknown, he said.
Siddiq accused influential figures within the RSF of involvement in the incident, alleging that they were seeking to fuel tensions between the Asanqur and Arnaqa communities and intimidate residents in areas under the force’s control.
He said another protest was planned for Monday at the entrance to Mecca Bridge, which connects northern and southern Nyala, to demand the release of all those abducted.
The whereabouts of Abu Qarjah and his wife remain unknown a week after their abduction, as tribal leaders continue to press the RSF to disclose where they are being held and secure their release.
