Rebels commandeer relief trucks in Sudan's Darfur region

June 8th, 2004.

KHARTOUM, June 8 (AFP) -- Rebels in west Sudan's Darfur region have seized nine trucks loaded with relief items, medicines and tents on the road linking Nyala in Southern Darfur with Al-Fashir in North Darfur, the Sudan Media Centre, which is close to the government, said Tuesday.

The Sudanese Media Center said that, in what it called yet another violation of a ceasefire, a group of armed rebels seized nine trucks belonging to the governmental Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) and nongovernmental Islamic Bir organisation.

The gunmen forced four of the drivers to go along with them but one managed to escape and is now in Al-Fashir hospital after having been beaten by the rebels for refusing to cooperate, the SMC said.