Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
My Profile
Top News
Reuters top ten news stories delivered to your inbox each day.
Subscribe
You are here:
Home
>
News
>
International
>
Article
Home
Business & Finance
News
U.S.
Politics
International
Technology
Entertainment
Sports
Lifestyle
Oddly Enough
Environment
Health
Science
Special Coverage
Video
Pictures
Your View
The Great Debate
Blogs
Weather
Reader Feedback
Do More With Reuters
RSS
Widgets
Mobile
Podcasts
Newsletters
Your View
Make Reuters My Homepage
Partner Services
CareerBuilder
Affiliate Network
Professional Products
Support (Customer Zone)
Reuters Media
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
International aid workers kidnapped in Sudan's Darfur
Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:26am EDT
Email | Print |
Share
| Reprints | Single Page
[-]
Text
[+]
By Andrew Heavens
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Three international aid workers from the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) have been kidnapped in Darfur, officials said on Thursday, further jeopardizing humanitarian operations in western Sudan.
The local governor, Osman Youssef Kebir of North Darfur state, was quoted as saying the kidnappers were demanding a ransom and negotiations could soon lead to their release.
The three workers from MSF's Belgian arm were seized along with two Sudanese as tension rose in Sudan following the International Criminal Court's decision last week to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir over accusations of war crimes in Darfur.
Kebir, quoted by the online Sudanese Media Center, said: "Negotiations with the abductors are progressing well and could result in the release of the victims soon."
"The kidnappers demanded a financial ransom and have promised that they are not interested in violence."
Christopher Stokes, general director of MSF Belgium, told reporters in Brussels: "This will be a further blow to the delivery of humanitarian assistance in that area, so the consequences are also extremely worrying for the population, the civilians of Darfur."
MSF in Belgium said the two Sudanese were quickly released but the three foreigners were still being held. It identified them as a Canadian nurse, an Italian doctor and a French coordinator. Catholic missionary news agency MISNA gave their names as Laura Archer, Mauro D'Ascanio and Raphael Meonier.
Sudan shut down 16 aid organizations after the ICC decision, saying they had helped the court in the Hague, an accusation aid groups deny. Two arms of MSF were among those asked to leave, although MSF Belgium was not among them.
Kebir said the North Darfur authorities had ordered police protection for all offices and residences of foreign organizations operating in the state.
But MSF said it would withdraw most staff from Darfur where conflict has simmered since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms against the government in 2003. International experts say at least 200,000 people have been killed in the western region, while Khartoum says 10,000 have died.
"Medecins Sans Frontieres is in the process of withdrawing its last teams from the field, from Darfur. The only staff who will be staying there will be dedicated to the liberation of our colleagues," MSF Belgium's Stokes said.
Sudan's foreign ministry condemned the kidnappings and said the abducted aid workers were thought to be in good health and had not been harmed.
"I promise this conduct will never be repeated. I want to confirm that the government is ready to provide security for all the NGOs," the head of Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commission, Hassabo Mohamed Abd el-Rahman, told reporters.
Money may have been a motive, he said.
The kidnapping took place in Saraf Omra in north Darfur, where MSF Belgium runs a health clinic and dispensary serving tens of thousands of people, said Susan Sandars, an MSF spokeswoman in Nairobi, Kenya. UNAMID said the kidnapping took place late on Wednesday, while Sudan said it was on Thursday. Continued...
View article on single page
Share:
Del.icio.us
Digg
Mixx
Yahoo!
Facebook
LinkedIn
Next Article:
Rebel troops deploy tanks in Madagascar capital
Also On Reuters
Modern scanners bring "mind reading" a step closer
Commentary: In the face of criticism, companies deplane
Wall Street salaries seen rising as bonuses fall
More International News
Pakistani lawyers to intensify campaign: leader
| Video
Final Gaza toll shows 960 civilians killed: group
South Korea warns North of fresh U.N. action on missile
China says willing to meet Dalai Lama's envoys
Rebel troops deploy tanks in Madagascar capital
More International News...
Video
Aid workers kidnapped in Darfur
Play Video
More Video...
Editor's Choice
Slideshow
A selection of our best photos from the past 24 hours. Slideshow
Most Popular on Reuters
Articles
Video
Citi doesn't need more government capital: Parsons
Anna Nicole Smith's ex-companion, doctors charged
RPT-FEATURE-Corporate oil booms in low-tax Switzerland
Doubts arise over threat by German teenage gunman | Video
U.S. killer left behind grudge list, letter: police
45 percent of world's wealth destroyed: Blackstone CEO
Jobless China graduates mired in gloom amid slowdown
Long-term GE investors fret, fume over stock slide
Following S&P cut: What's GE stock worth?
Geithner gets tough questions from Senate panel
Most Popular Articles RSS Feed
Video
Serb paramilitaries jailed
Gunman appeared to target women
Gunman warned of plans in chatroom
Tent City: The recession's new face
Close call in space
Madoff in jail
Aid workers kidnapped in Darfur
Minefield rescue ends in tragedy
China pays a White House call
Madoff victims: justice served
Most Popular Videos RSS Feed
Tibet
Dalai Lama slams China over Tibet "suffering"
The Dalai Lama said more and more Chinese were beginning to see a problem with Beijing's rule over Tibet, lamenting how the homeland he fled 50 years ago had become a "hell on earth." Full Article | Topics
Heavy security as Tibetans mark Dalai Lama's exile
China's Hu demands wall of stability in Tibet
Question marks over succession of Dalai Lama
Factbox: Historical ties between China and Tibet
Reuters Deals
The global destination for corporate leaders, deal-makers and innovators
Knowledge to Act
Reuters.com:
Help and Contact Us |
Advertise With Us |
Mobile |
Newsletters |
RSS |
Interactive TV |
Labs |
Reuters in Second Life |
Archive |
Site Index |
Video Index
Thomson Reuters Corporate:
Copyright |
Disclaimer |
Privacy |
Professional Products |
Professional Products Support |
About Thomson Reuters |
Careers
International Editions:
Africa |
Arabic |
Argentina |
Brazil |
Canada |
China |
France |
Germany |
India |
Italy |
Japan |
Latin America |
Mexico |
Russia |
Spain |
United Kingdom |
United States
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.