(Kutum Locality, 1 Sep.) Teachers of 14 secondary schools in Kutum locality, North Darfur, embarked on a one-week strike today, in protest against the murders of seven teachers in the locality since last year.

“The killing and beheading of secondary school teacher Salah Ahmed Adam at the hands of government-backed militiamen on Sunday was the last attack in a row on teachers in the locality,” secondary school teacher Abdel Nasir El Hinu told Radio Dabanga from Kutum.”

“The decision to strike came during a meeting of colleagues at the funeral of Adam”, El Hinu explained. “We want to draw attention to the rampant insecurity in Kutum locality, and the targeting of teachers in particular.”

The teacher pointed to the problem of the absence of security and police forces, as well as the judiciary “for more than three years now”. 

“The teachers demand protection, the restoration of the rule of law, and the return of government forces to Kutum locality”, he stressed.

Beheaded

On Sunday, Salah Ahmed Adam, teacher at El Shargiya secondary school for girls in Kutum town, was on his way home in a nearby village, when three militiamen stopped him near the village of Beri. They shot him dead, then beheaded him, after which they fled toward Damrat El Gubba.

“Army forces came and lifted the teacher’s body, without tracking the perpetrators,” a resident of Beri village told Radio Dabanga.