Three Sudanese herders were abducted on Tuesday by suspected Ethiopian shifta gunmen from a village in eastern Sudan’s Gedaref state, according to local sources.
The herders were reportedly seized from Shanghal village, near the Taya border area close to Ethiopia.
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of 300 million Sudanese pounds for their release, equivalent to approximately $51,300 at prevailing parallel-market exchange rates.
The sources provided no further details about the identities of the abducted herders or the precise circumstances surrounding the incident.
Residents of communities along Sudan’s eastern border have repeatedly reported kidnappings, armed attacks and livestock theft attributed to Ethiopian shifta groups, renewing calls for authorities to strengthen security along the frontier.
Such incidents are often reported during Sudan’s rainy season, when farmers and pastoralists travel to agricultural and grazing areas around Al-Fashaga and other remote border zones.
Local sources did not report any immediate action by Sudanese authorities following Tuesday’s abduction. The account could not be independently verified.
