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Kufra, 16 August:
One Sudanese man was killed and three Chadians taken into custody on Tuesday, following a gun-battle with local security . . .[restrict]forces in southern oasis town of Kufra.
According to identity papers recovered at the scene, the Sudanese man belonged to the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), a rebel group which fought against Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir in Darfur during the 2003-2010 conflict there.
Kufra is just a few hundred miles from the porous Sudanese and Chadian borders, and nationals from both countries are known to enter and leave Libya on a frequent basis, engaging in both legitimate and illegal commercial activity.
“The four went into one of the farms near Kufra and stole a 4×4 Toyota truck at gunpoint”, Hassan Idrees, a journalist who had visited the men subsequent to their arrest, told the Libya Herald.
“The owner of the vehicle reported the incident, which took place on Monday 13 August, to the authorities.
It is understood that local militia, together with official security forces, then launched a search for the vehicle, which came to a head the following day.
“They spotted a suspicious truck which matched the description of the stolen vehicle”, Idrees continued.
“When the security forces tried to stop it, the occupants started shooting, compelling them to return fire. Two of the Chadian surrendered, whilst the Sudanese man was shot dead and the third Chadian was wounded in the shoulder. His injury is not life threatening, and he has been taken to hospital for treatment”.
The captured men are now being held in the custody of the Kufra Supreme Security Committee, according to the president of the Kufra local council, who insists they are being well treated.
Officials say the men will shortly be investigated by the appropriate authorities in Kufra, before being sent for trial. [/restrict]
