Two injured as Darfur bus driver refuses to pay ‘toll’

Two people were seriously wounded when militiamen opened fire on a bus on its way from El Fasher in North Darfur to Nyala in South Darfur on Monday.

A witness said that one of the militiamen opened fire on one of the buses after the driver refused to stop to pay the fees charged by the gunmen. Two passengers were seriously injured. They have been transferred to Nyala hospital.

The caller noted that in spite of the decision by President Omar Al Bashir on his recent visit to the region, ordering the removal of the ‘toll gates’, the barriers are still being set up on the road between the North and South Darfur capitals. “They force travel buses and commercial vehicles to pay fees and royalties amounting up to SDG1,000 ($160) for a commercial vehicle’s trip and SDG500 ($80) a travel bus trip,” the caller said.