Darfur disappearance

An Irish aid worker and her Ugandan colleague were abducted over the weekend in Darfur, the third group of foreigners to be kidnapped in the region this year. Officials and diplomats representing the governments of Ireland and Uganda have stated that they do not have any indication yet which group has seized the two women, who were named as Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki. Both women work for the Irish aid agency GOAL. A Sudanese guard abducted with them was later freed. A delegation of hostage negotiators are said to be in the Sudanese capital trying to secure their release. GOAL has as many as 1,600 workers in the Sudan, though it has removed many from the Darfur region pending the outcome of this crisis.