Released UN pilot says Darfur kidnappers argued with each other

KHARTOUM

(

17 Aug

.) -

An UN-contracted Russian pilot said that his kidnappers in Darfur argued with each other. Yevgeni Mustovchikov was kidnapped three weeks ago and held by a militia for four days after landing his MI-8 helicopter in a remote part of South Darfur due to poor weather conditions. The Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti interviewed the pilot in Khartoum soon after his release from captivity. It published the interview on 9 August.

Mustovchikov said that his kidnappers argued with each other and appeared not to have unified leadership. The pilot was carrying at least three or four passengers, including three rebel commanders whom he was bringing to Nyala en route to UN-sponsored peace talks. While the Russian pilot was still missing, an UN spokesman said that the kidnappers had beaten the pilot and the three rebel passengers. In his interview, Mustovchikov confirmed this, saying that the kidnappers forced everyone to kneel and beat them. He added that the gunmen took money, phones, watches and documents from the crew and passengers.

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He described the majority of the kidnappers as being young people between the ages of 17 and 18 years old. These teenagers were directed by a number of older individuals who were carrying weapons. The helicopter pilot said that the gang did not have any leader, did not follow any specific plan, and were in a nervous state, aggressive, and argued among each other.

 “It was complete chaos. Unified management was absent, some leaders even quarrelled among each other. One commanded us to stand up, another immediately ordered us to lie down. One said to go to the helicopter, the other ordered us to all lie down. We did not know to whom we should listen,” he told RIA Novosti.

He recounted that the militia tied up his crew and passengers and drove them off in a jeep. These men were taken to a military base and handed over to the UN while Mustovchikov remained missing for several days. He said that after his separation from the other hostages he marched under guard for a day and part of a night, also traveling some by camel, through hills and desert. Later he was taken by car to a military base. From there he was returned by helicopter to the UN Mission in Nyala.

Photo by Yuliya Troitskaya, RIA Novosti. 

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