Nomads attack Sudan city

Residents in the southern Sudanese city of Wau say armed nomads known as the Muharahlin have abducted dozens of women and children.

The residents told the BBC that some three-thousand men arrived in the city three weeks ago on trains and horseback and have been carrying out robberies and other attacks.

The Muharahlin are reported to be demanding a-hundred-and-fifty dollars per person from relatives of the kidnap victims.

People in Wau have also accused the Sudanese army of helping the rebels by turning a blind eye to their activities.

The military denies this.

The Murahalin had been inactive for some time, but appear to have stepped up their activities by targeting large cities.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service