El Fasher – OnePress
The Coordination of Resistance Committees in El Fasher accused the Rapid Support Forces militia of kidnapping 23 students from the Jebel Marra area while they were going to take the Sudanese certificate exams and demanding a ransom in exchange for their release.
The coordination said in a statement that the students were on their way to the examination centers when they were kidnapped, describing the incident as a “serious violation” targeting the educational process and the future of students in light of the ongoing conflict in Darfur.
The statement added that all students kidnapped are under the age of 18, pointing out that the kidnapper demanded to pay about $ 2,000 per student for his release and allow him to continue his journey to the examination centers.
The Coordination described the incident as “blackmail and piracy” targeting the families of students psychologically and financially, calling on human rights organizations and international bodies concerned with child protection and education to intervene urgently in order to ensure their immediate release without conditions.
It also warned that the continuation of these violations may lead to depriving hundreds of students in the Darfur region of sitting the Sudanese certificate exams, demanding to provide safe corridors for the movement of students between the states and localities of the region.